Flower Vase 1963

Rene Portocarrero’s Flower Vase from 1962. The canvas is covered with vibrant, gestural marks. Squiggles of white, yellow, and red dance across the surface, barely contained within the outline of the vase. I bet Rene wrestled with this canvas, adding and subtracting, until the colors popped. Imagine him stepping back, squinting, then lunging forward to add a dab of bright yellow, then another, building up the bouquet. It's like a wild, untamed garden bursting forth. This piece reminds me of late Guston. That thick outline of white paint defining the flower shapes feels almost rebellious, pushing against the traditional still life. The way he lets the paint drip and meander, it’s like he's inviting chaos into the composition. Artists are constantly riffing off each other, aren't they? It's a long, ongoing conversation where paint becomes a language of its own. And it’s always exciting to see painters who are willing to embrace the messiness and uncertainty of it all, finding beauty in the unexpected.