Casas 1926

Editor: This is Raquel Forner's "Casas," painted in 1926 using oil paint. I'm immediately struck by the angular forms and how she renders a cityscape with these blocks of colour. It's almost disorienting. How do you interpret this work? Curator: A fitting disorientation, indeed. The structure of this composition relies on the interplay of geometric forms and a vibrant, almost Fauvist palette. Note how Forner eschews traditional perspective, flattening the picture plane and creating a tension between representation and abstraction. Do you observe the application of paint itself? Editor: Yes, the brushstrokes are quite visible, and the colours seem almost arbitrarily assigned to the shapes, creating this tension you're describing. It makes the buildings feel less like actual structures and more like arrangements of color. Curator: Precisely. It is through these formal elements—color, shape, and texture—that Forner constructs her visual language. It invites us to consider the painting not just as a representation of a cityscape, but as an independent object, exploring the inherent qualities of painting itself. How does the simplification of form and emphasis on color impact your understanding? Editor: It makes me think about how modern artists were breaking down traditional artistic conventions. They explored what paint could do rather than focusing solely on depicting reality. The way you described it shifts my focus from subject to composition. Curator: An important distinction. The beauty of Formalism lies in its ability to illuminate the aesthetic strategies employed by the artist and underscore how these choices shape our experience of the artwork. Editor: I’m understanding more about how analysing form creates another depth of the artistic representation. Curator: Indeed. And that focus on elements elevates the artistic discourse beyond representation and dives deep into the nature of seeing.