Double page frontispiece from King Ubu 1966

Joan Miró created this double-page frontispiece from King Ubu with abstract forms and vibrant colors, evoking primal emotions and subconscious associations. The chaotic composition, splattered with red, green, and yellow, presents a frenzied dance of lines and shapes. Notice the recurring star motif, which historically symbolizes guidance and divine inspiration, yet here, it's fractured, reflecting the turmoil and absurdity of the Ubu character. These stars remind me of earlier symbolic representations, like the Star of Bethlehem, now reimagined through a chaotic lens. This echoes the atavistic qualities of the grotesque Ubu, an embodiment of humanity's basest instincts. Miró taps into our collective memory, stirring subconscious fears and desires through seemingly innocent forms, a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, visceral level. The symbols resurface, transformed yet still carrying echoes of their past, in this non-linear cyclical progression of meaning.