Native Couple 1939

Carlos Merida made this painting called Native Couple on paper, using gouache, in 1944. The way the figures are rendered feels pared down, almost like stencils. The palette is simple: dark browns, whites, and a bit of red, which gives it a graphic, impactful quality. It feels like the process was about reduction, distilling forms to their most essential elements. I’m drawn to the way the paint is applied. The matte, opaque gouache gives a flatness to the image, pushing it towards abstraction despite the figuration. Look at the detailing of the blanket worn by the figure on the left. The texture is smooth, each block of color placed purposefully. There’s a stillness to it that’s quite moving. Merida’s work often blended indigenous themes with modernist aesthetics, a kind of dialogue that reminds me a little bit of Diego Rivera’s own explorations of Mexican identity. Both artists were deeply interested in cultural heritage. Neither gave us definitive answers, and I like that they embrace ambiguity.