Untitled 1980

This untitled work by Benjamin Canas is a pastel drawing that dives deep into the realm of dreams, or maybe nightmares. The colours are muted, like faded memories, and the strokes have a gentle fuzziness. It's almost like the whole thing is exhaling. Look at how the orange figure is so dog-like in its proportions, yet so human in its expression. The paint is applied with a light touch, building up layers of tone to create a soft, almost velvety surface. You can almost feel the texture of the pastel on the paper. It reminds me a little bit of the Polish artist Balthus, but even more strange. Both of them seem interested in staging these encounters, maybe in a dream world. But ultimately, Canas leaves us with a delicious ambiguity that keeps us wondering. There's no resolution here, just the echo of a question.