Controcanto 1974

Afro made this painting, Controcanto, with oils, sometime in the mid-20th century; a period of great experimentation for painting. I imagine Afro in his studio, brush in hand, figuring out how to balance all of these shapes and colours. There's a push-and-pull between the ochres, browns, reds, and creams as he works to create a sense of depth on the canvas. The edges feel hard and soft at the same time and I’m wondering how he got that effect? It feels like Afro is in conversation with artists like Juan Gris or even Stuart Davis, echoing their approaches to form. You can see them trying to solve similar problems; how to flatten and distort space, how to create compositions that don’t have a clear focal point, and how to make a painting that feels both planned and spontaneous. That's the joy of painting.