Número 363 1962

Editor: So, this is Luis Feito's "Número 363" from 1962, made with acrylic paint. It’s… intense! The contrast is quite something. What jumps out at you when you look at it? Curator: Well, aside from that vibrant yellow which practically vibrates off the canvas? I am fascinated by the boldness of Feito's mark-making here. The black and red seem to battle it out, creating this sort of raw emotional landscape. Imagine what was going on in the world, in Feito’s own life when this was created, could those brushstrokes speak about more than just shapes and color? Editor: I guess so, you're right about the colours fighting each other. Does the title "Número 363" tell us anything, or is it just an arbitrary label? Curator: Good question! It makes me think about whether he intended for the number to become something of a symbolic key; in some ways, perhaps his vocabulary for that time, each painting a data point in an emotional exploration of that very turbulent decade. Perhaps a way to distance himself while simultaneously exposing his own raw emotions. Editor: I hadn't considered that! So the abstract nature might not be about hiding meaning, but about exploring emotions that are too complex to put into words? Curator: Exactly. Abstraction can be like poetry, right? More feeling than definitive statement. It lets us bring our own experiences to the canvas, project ourselves onto it. Does this perspective shift how you view the artwork now? Editor: It definitely does! Seeing it as a coded emotional diary is much more engaging than just seeing shapes and colors. I think I need to spend more time letting abstract art 'speak' to me in that way. Thanks. Curator: My pleasure! Never underestimate the power of letting a painting whisper its secrets.