Femme 1931

Joan Miró made this painting, titled Femme, with oil on canvas. Look at the way he builds this picture, almost like a dark wine stain with shapes floating over it. The way he uses the lines to create a sense of form within the space, it’s all very intuitive. You can see the hand of the artist working, feeling his way through the process of creation. I’m drawn to the orange patch, like a spill, hovering near the figure’s shoulder. It's like a burst of energy against the otherwise muted palette. The contrast between the earthy browns and the occasional pop of colour is really something. Miró has a knack for allowing the subconscious to come to the surface in these biomorphic forms. Miró reminds me a little bit of Arshile Gorky, maybe because both artists embrace this kind of ambiguity. They're not trying to pin anything down, just opening up possibilities. I guess art should be a space for questions, not just answers.