Blue I 1961

Joan Miró made this Blue I painting, which is currently hung in the Pompidou Centre, using oil on canvas and an open, intuitive process. The texture in this piece is fascinating. The blue isn’t just flat; it’s almost like the canvas is breathing, there’s a hazy quality to the brushwork. I love the single, bright red form floating amongst the deep black circles. Look how each of these elements sits slightly above the surface of the work, without disrupting the overall mood of serenity. The black circles have a granular, almost furry texture. That single wandering line stretching from the top left to the bottom right is great, too; it reminds me of a constellation map, or even Cy Twombly’s line paintings. With Miró, the process is so visible; it’s like he’s inviting us into his studio, his mind. There is a similar feeling in some of the work of Yves Tanguy, another surrealist working around the same time as Miro. Ultimately, though, Miró’s work invites us to get lost in the mystery.