The man Octavio Paz called a "glacial spark" was a painter for whom intuition always had the last word. But Gunther Gerzso's work has in recent years lacked the in-depth attention it deserves, a situation meant to be righted by Risking the Abstract. Originally conceived in collaboration with the artist, and finished with the help of his widow and sons, this volume and exhibition provide a better understanding of the artist's essential role in shaping an alternative approach to Modernism in Mexico, one that bears an important relationship to Abstract Expressionism in the United States and art informel in Europe.