Pintura 222/60 1960

Joan Hernandez Pijuan made this painting, Pintura 222/60, using a limited palette of black, white, and just a few touches of copper. The shapes are created through a process of layering and wiping away, allowing the white ground to breathe through the darkness. It’s a dance between intention and accident, like all good paintings are! I find myself drawn to the raw quality of the piece. The paint is applied in broad strokes, almost like sweeping gestures. It feels urgent, immediate. Then you notice the drips and subtle variations in tone. There is a small area of copper pigment, floating in the upper register of the piece. It serves as a subtle accent, adding a note of warmth. This detail highlights the stark contrast between the black and white, adding a layer of depth to the work as a whole. This piece reminds me of the work of Franz Kline, particularly his emphasis on bold, gestural abstraction. But Pijuan brings a unique sensibility, stripping his work down to bare essentials and embracing the beauty of simplicity. Art, for me, is always about these conversations across time, where artists respond to each other and keep pushing the boundaries of seeing.