#5

About this artwork

**#5 by Charles Clough (1979)** Created in 1979, *#5* is a striking drawing by American artist Charles Clough, in enamel paint on wove. Measuring an expansive 36 x 106.6 cm, its horizontal format evokes a panoramic sweep, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in its abstract forms. Clough, active in New York's vibrant downtown art scene of the 1970s and 1980s, often explored unconventional techniques, blending drawing's intimacy with painting's boldness. The use of enamel paint—a glossy, durable medium typically reserved for industrial or fine art canvases—on smooth wove paper highlights his innovative approach, allowing for vibrant layering and fluid gestures that challenge traditional boundaries between media. This work's classification as a drawing underscores the experimental spirit of late 20th-century American art, where artists pushed against rigid categories amid the rise of abstraction and pattern painting. Part of the renowned Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection, acquired by the National Gallery of Art, *#5* reflects the Vogels' passion for underrecognized contemporary voices. Their postal-worker-turned-collectors' eye elevated works like this, preserving Clough's contribution to postwar abstraction for future generations. (198 words)