El Caballero Español 1970

Eduardo Arroyo painted El Caballero Español with oil on canvas to depict a figure that embodies a specific cultural and historical context. The slick sheen of the figure’s dress-like body suit is amazing. It’s so different to the matte surface of the ground. I can imagine Arroyo applying layer upon layer, building up the color in thin washes to create depth and luminosity. I wonder if he was interested in playing with notions of gender roles and identity here, turning them upside down. The painting style is so crisp and cool. It’s quite different to how I work, splodging and smudging paint! But I can admire how Arroyo allows for this dialogue between precision and ambiguity, between representation and abstraction. Ultimately, painting involves being brave and taking a plunge, like other artists who have gone before us, and those who will come after.