Cubist Face 1939

Wifredo Lam made this oil on canvas titled "Cubist Face" in 1939. The thing that grabs me right away is the bold geometry mixed with these almost primal, staring eyes. It's like looking at a map of a face rather than a photograph. The dark blues and blacks give it a somber feel, but then you have these pops of orange and gold that bring a kind of electric energy to the piece. Lam's application of paint seems pretty straightforward, not trying to hide the brushwork, which gives it a real tactile quality. There's this drippy bit of gold paint near the bottom that I love – it's like a deliberate mistake that makes the whole thing feel more alive. There's something about the way Lam deconstructs the face that reminds me of Picasso. But he's also doing something totally his own here, bringing in a kind of Caribbean sensibility that's all about rhythm and transformation. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation.