L.E.S. 1967

Carlos Alonso made L.E.S. with an intuitive understanding of process and mark making. The way Alonso uses color and line is so compelling. Look closely, and you’ll notice how he builds up layers of thin paint, with colors that are both muted and vibrant, transparent and opaque. There is a real sense of the hand here, and evidence of the artist’s movement. The figure is built up through a series of marks and gestures, they convey not only physical form but also emotion and even narrative. The yellow chair, for instance, with its clean lines and geometric shape, is in stark contrast to the more organic, fluid lines of the figure, creating a tension that is both formal and metaphorical. Alonso shares with artists like Francis Bacon a focus on the human figure and a willingness to distort and fragment it in order to convey something deeper about the human condition. Ultimately, this piece invites us to embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations, reminding us that art is not about fixed meanings but about the ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time.