Red Cat and Vase With Flowers 

This painting is Aldemir Martins' "Red Cat and Vase With Flowers". Martins uses flat planes of color, the composition is divided into horizontal bands of yellow and green, setting a stage for the main players. Martins creates a captivating tension between representation and abstraction. The cat, rendered in bold red hues, is simultaneously recognizable and stylized. Its features are simplified into geometric forms. These shapes reduce the essence of the subject to its most fundamental components. The vase of flowers echoes this treatment, with dabs of pigment standing in for botanical detail. Martins prompts us to consider how we perceive and categorize the world around us. What elements are essential for recognizing a cat or a flower? In doing so, this playful composition invites ongoing interpretation.