Íntimo I 2017

Francis Naranjo made this artwork, Íntimo I, by arranging a collection of objects on a table, set in a pool of light. I like the subdued palette - it’s restrained, mostly monochrome, which puts the emphasis on the objects and their relationships. The surface feels clean, almost clinical. The objects themselves are fascinating. Some look like medical tools or specimens, others are natural objects like stones. There’s a feeling of curation, a scientific curiosity at play. The composition reminds me of a drawing. There’s an order to the arrangement, an implied narrative. The line running across the table, punctuated by these objects, could be a timeline or a journey. Thinking about other artists who play with similar arrangements, Joseph Beuys comes to mind. Like Beuys, Naranjo seems to be exploring the power of objects to carry meaning and evoke personal associations. It suggests both the precision of scientific inquiry and the mysteries of the human psyche, hinting at the possibility of artmaking as a form of open ended investigation.