Tout á la joie 1970

Natalia Dumitresco made this painting, titled "Tout á la joie," using oil on canvas. The bright, bold colors and simple, blocky forms may seem playful, but there's a deeper consideration of process at work here. Dumitresco has created a dense pattern of small squares, each containing what appears to be abstract symbols. These miniature compositions are contained within larger rectangles of color. The repetition suggests a system, maybe even a code, and invites us to consider the act of making as a kind of labor. Each square likely involved a similar set of actions: mixing paint, applying it to the canvas, and defining the image. Dumitresco's method encourages us to think about the relationship between individual effort and larger structures, echoing the repetitive processes often found in industrial production. By focusing on the act of creation itself, the artist pushes us to reconsider the value we place on labor and its relationship to art. It’s a great example of how the material processes and the social context become essential to understanding an artwork's full meaning.