Iámarra 2019

Alberto Pereira made "Iámarra," a 70 x 50 cm artwork, employing a spontaneous approach to mark-making that really grabs you. The color palette feels like a burst of raw energy, a process of layering and reacting. The material aspect of this piece is so present, you can almost feel the textures coming off the canvas. There are thin washes of color but also thick daubs of paint, applied with real physicality, giving the impression the artwork has emerged through a process of action and reaction. Check out the black wings sprouting from the back of the figure in the center. They're so boldly rendered, like the artist has captured a fleeting moment of transformation. Pereira reminds me of Jean-Michel Basquiat, with their shared ability to blend figuration and abstraction, and use words as visual elements. This piece shows that art is a space for exploring the world in unpredictable ways.