Barbacaen 2010

Michel Blazy made 'Barbacaen' using materials that stain and spread, giving it a life of its own. I imagine the act of painting itself, how it comes into being, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. It makes me think about the sheer physical reality of painting, the texture, the color, and the surface of the medium. Look at the way the dark stain spreads, creating these river-like lines, and how they communicate intention and meaning. It’s almost topographical, like a map or a landscape viewed from above. I can't help but wonder what Blazy was thinking when he made this. Was he experimenting with the materials, letting them dictate the outcome? It reminds me of other process-based artists who embrace chance and the unpredictable nature of their materials. There is an ongoing conversation between artists across time, where they exchange ideas and inspire one another’s creativity. Painting is a form of embodied expression which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning.