#121 1998

Fernando Calhau made this unnamed painting in a diamond shape, with what looks like oil and perhaps a bit of wax. It's all about the dark, but within that darkness, there's so much to see. The surface has marks, scratches, and subtle tonal shifts, revealing the physicality of the paint. The colour feels like a deeply worked black, each layer like a passing moment or a change in mood. Look closer, and you'll see faint strokes and gentle curves, almost like the memory of a brush moving across the surface. This builds up a material presence, with a kind of heavy texture. I think of Ad Reinhardt, but where Reinhardt uses geometry as a kind of grid, Calhau lets the brush do the work. The painting becomes a space for contemplation, reminding us that art is an ongoing conversation. A deep exploration.