Landscape of Spain 1989

Artist: Looking at this particular painting, what grabs me right away is how evocative it is—it’s got this sense of open space and melancholy that tugs at you. Curator: It certainly evokes a feeling. This work, "Landscape of Spain," dates from 1989. It is attributed to Alejandro Cabeza and rendered with oil paints, seemingly en plein air. Artist: Yes, there’s something wonderfully transient and temporary about it, captured live from reality. You can almost feel the breeze and hear the rustle of leaves, like it's been imprinted directly from a specific time. That’s the special quality of the natural, outside environment: It reminds us of nature's constant motion of creating, re-creating and transforming. Curator: Definitely. Looking at the foreground, and how the oil is applied, you can almost sense Cabeza working quickly. See those small brushstrokes? It might indicate that it was vital for him to catch a quick-passing atmosphere, something we commonly observe with painting en plein air. Artist: Precisely! The artist has worked outside, painting, but seems more to grasp feeling than meticulously replicate it. The focus is directed on emotionality with such simplification, yet manages to reflect this feeling quite powerfully, quite poignantly. I mean, the placement of that singular, solitary, tilted tree, in this vast scenery speaks something... of time. A marker. A being of aliveness, amidst seeming emptiness and a reminder to myself: keep upright, stay steady, reach toward that source of light! Curator: Well, to achieve that particular visual impact, one might need specific pigments—like maybe ochres or umbers—to ground the tree's trunk in earthen tones. Those hues, combined with the sky gradient achieved through thinning paint, play such an essential function. Even though this approach to materials looks somewhat simple, those choices clearly shaped what and how you personally feel, as an observer! Artist: True enough! All these simple choices amount to capturing this specific sentiment of nature's splendor as both boundless and extremely close. I’m moved by it. Curator: Well, whether it’s about reflecting on the raw supplies used or simply relishing nature’s vastness captured here, this painting offers plenty. Artist: Aye, for me, “Landscape of Spain” embodies more than merely landscape – it shows me about facing time. And if that makes any feeling sink even just a bit for you also, I trust this painter and picture succeeded.