Salomé Guadalupe Ingelmo 2019

Alejandro Cabeza painted Salomé Guadalupe Ingelmo, the oil applied in careful strokes, a study in dark tones and soft light. I imagine Cabeza, brush in hand, patiently coaxing this woman's likeness onto the canvas. It’s a classic pose – the elegant woman in a wide-brimmed hat gazing serenely out at the viewer. The beauty of it lies in the way the brushstrokes capture the light playing on her face, how the shadows around her eyes and the gentle curve of her lips give a sense of depth and mystery. The surface is smooth, which gives it a feeling of being very considered, very delicate. The way the light hits the pearl earring, like a tiny beacon, is a beautiful touch. You sense Cabeza knew the old masters, and was in conversation with them. Painting is always about this kind of conversation, isn’t it? It's an ongoing dialogue across time, where one artist builds upon the insights and discoveries of another, constantly pushing the boundaries of what paint can do. It's an ongoing experiment, a way of seeing and feeling and understanding the world around us.