“Pepsi-Cola” by Byron Leslie
Burford is the first painting in the hallway of Bucksbaum to the right of the
staircases. As an oil painting depicting four musicians at the corner of what
appears to be an alley, “Pepsi-Cola” is a prime example of Burford’s tendency
to draw abstract representations of the people he encounters.
The brushwork in the canvas
is chaotic, with strokes easily visible even at a distance and parts of the
white canvas are uncovered. However, the strokes flow easily into each other in
order to complement the forms and shapes within the painting, achieving a form
of chaotic unity. The people and building defy realism and details and instead
simply suggest at their presence, as seen in the second musician whose face
lacks any sort of detailed features. The alley degenerates in the right to
darker colors overlaid with the Pepsi logo.
While the majority of the
painting consists of dark colors, the occasional patches of bright blue and red
moves the viewer’s eyes along the painting and accentuates the darker shades.
Most of the action is concentrated on the musicians and the alleyway, as the
more distinct and detailed shapes in the upper left hand corner lack the
variation of color found in the rest of the painting.
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