Bandbox c. 1937

Alfonso Umana made this 'Bandbox' and well, it's a trip! It's all about these soft pinks and greens, like a pastel dream, painted with such loose, free strokes that you can almost feel him figuring it out as he goes. You get the sense that the making of this was a real, moment-to-moment process, a dance between Umana and the image. Look at the way Umana handles the paint: those thin, watery washes creating layers of depth, but also those thicker, clunkier strokes giving it texture. In the middle register, there's this white deer bounding through the trees and it's so naively rendered and flat, yet somehow full of energy. The color palette gives it a folk art, outsider vibe. It reminds me of some of Henri Rousseau’s dreamy landscapes, but with a rougher edge. In the end, this piece feels like a conversation, a back-and-forth between control and letting go, between seeing and feeling. It’s this ongoing exchange that keeps art alive and kicking.