Cap d'home 1932

Joan Miró made this painting, Cap d'home, using oil paint to explore abstract forms and symbolic imagery. The first thing I notice is the way Miró applied the paint in flat, even layers. The colors don't blend so much as they abut one another, creating a crisp, almost graphic quality. It’s like he's building the image block by block, letting each hue hold its own space. Look at the yellow background. It's not just a backdrop. It's active and alive, pushing forward and shaping the other colors. Then there's that big red tear-shaped form in the middle – is it an organ, is it a wound? I'm reminded of Arp and his biomorphic forms, and the way he used abstraction to get at something deeply human, and deeply felt. What I love about Miró, though, is the way he manages to be both playful and profound, all at once. This piece reminds me of a conversation I had with Elizabeth Murray once. We discussed ambiguity in abstract art, how it allows for a multitude of interpretations, and how that's where the real magic lies.