25 1989

Albert Rafols-Casamada made this abstract print titled "25" using lithography, and looking at it, I imagine a scene built from layers, like memories half-faded, half-there. The dominant mustard yellow, brushed and scrubbed, brings a kind of sun-drenched haze, while the strokes of white create a sense of movement, as if clouds are passing quickly overhead. I love the way he’s put down marks, like those thin vertical lines, kind of scratching at the surface, adding a touch of raw immediacy to this otherwise dreamy space. The thin colour lines at the top also suggest he has been at play here. Thinking about Rafols-Casamada, I wonder if he was chasing after a feeling, a mood, or maybe something more concrete from his surroundings. How does the act of re-creation become a conversation across time? I see art as this ongoing exchange, a way for artists to spark something in each other, to keep the flame of creativity burning. The ambiguity here invites us to bring our own experiences, and our own stories to the canvas.