Untitled 1969

Soledad Sevilla made this untitled painting with what looks like acrylics or maybe gouache in shades of red, orange, and brown, playing with repetition and geometric forms. I imagine Soledad layering these colours, shifting her shapes until they locked into place. It’s that tension between control and chaos that always gets me going in a painting. The color palette is so warm! The combination of reds and oranges gives it a feeling of a sunset. And how about these rounded forms? There’s a real dialogue happening between the circles, half-circles, and squares, like they are dancing on the canvas. This piece reminds me a little bit of what Bridget Riley was doing with Op Art, but with a warmer, more handmade feel. Painters are always riffing off each other, you know? Taking little bits and pieces, and turning them into something totally new. It’s one big conversation that’s been going on forever.