Carta do Líbano 1966

Rene Bertholo made this image, Carta do Líbano, and it feels like a collage or collection of things, maybe memories? It’s all done with flat, graphic colours and outlines, which gives it an almost diagrammatic feel, like a map of his mind. What really gets me is how he balances the flatness of the colors with the depth created by layering. Look at the lower left, where you see a collection of small objects. Each one is so clearly defined, yet they overlap and mingle, creating this sense of endless space and potential. There’s one small green star, with a little face inside, it feels so vulnerable and exposed. This piece reminds me a bit of the work of Philip Guston, another artist who wasn't afraid to embrace the messy, the personal, and the ambiguous. And, like Guston, Bertholo reminds us that art is not about answers, but about questions, about embracing the beautiful mess of being alive.