Watermelons 1977

This painting by Rufino Tamayo is called 'Watermelons', and it's painted in a way that really makes you think about the process. Look at all the different shades of red, like he was playing with fire. The surface has this gritty texture, so the paint isn't just lying there, it's part of something bigger. You can almost feel the heat radiating from the canvas. I love how the slices of watermelon are almost floating, cut loose from any sense of gravity. The contrasting rind against the deep flesh really emphasizes the physicality of the fruit, doesn’t it? There’s a dark, circular smudge on the lower left that looks accidental, but is it? Tamayo reminds me of other artists like Morandi, who could take something simple and make it so much more. Ultimately, it’s about embracing the messiness of art, and letting the ambiguity speak for itself.