Carnival Figures 1952

René Portocarrero created these Carnival Figures using expressive brushstrokes and a dark, earthy palette. You can almost feel Portocarrero wrestling with the paint, coaxing these spectral figures into being. I imagine him stepping back from the canvas, squinting, then lunging forward again to add a slash of white, a dab of green, to give each figure a sense of character, some individuality. The paint isn't applied smoothly or evenly. It's thick in some places, almost scraped away in others, which creates a beautiful texture. The brushwork gives the impression that we’re witnessing a fleeting moment, like a parade passing by. The figures are only partially defined, but there is a strange, haunting quality to their anonymity. It's almost like they're emerging from a dream. Portocarrero’s work, like that of so many artists, reminds us that painting is never really finished, just abandoned. It's an invitation to keep looking, keep questioning, and keep imagining.