#11: El Agave (Agave) 2008

This image, El Agave by Marina Pallares, is like a little world made in black and white, an etching perhaps. It's all about how the light hits the plant, the agave, and how that light is translated into marks. There’s something so graphic, so bold about the way she’s handled the contrast. Look at the edges of the agave leaves, the way the white outlines them, sometimes thick, sometimes just a wiggle. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the feel of the thing. See those wormlike tendrils, hanging down from the top, in contrast to the angularity of the leaves. It's playful, allowing the eye to dance around the image. Pallares reminds me of someone like Jose Guadalupe Posada, with the same kind of bold, graphic sensibility. It's art that doesn't take itself too seriously, but has a strong voice.