Modez 1971

This is Cesar Paternosto's 'Modez,' made with paint on wood, but I'm not sure exactly when. The colours are electric, jumping right out at you, but somehow restrained by the way the shapes fit together. You can see the brushstrokes, thin layers building up the colour – red, pink, turquoise, all set against that white background. It feels like Paternosto is laying down the rules and breaking them at the same time, a constant process of making and unmaking. Look at the way the pink and turquoise bars run right through the piece. They almost seem to hold the two red shapes together. You can see the texture of the wood coming through; it's not trying to hide anything. It’s like he’s saying, “This is what it is, and that’s okay.” There’s something about it that reminds me of Carmen Herrera, that same clarity and simplicity. But with Paternosto, there’s also this sense of play, of something just slightly off-kilter. It’s not perfect, but that’s what makes it so interesting.