Self-Portrait (in red overall) 1919

Curator: Ah, here we have Joan Miró’s “Self-Portrait (in red overall),” created in 1919, currently residing at the Musée Picasso in Paris. What springs to mind for you looking at it now? Editor: It's jarring, isn’t it? That deep brick red against the flesh tones, chopped into geometric forms, feels intentionally…discomforting. Like the seams of identity are strained and visible. Curator: Indeed. And look closer at that “red overall”. It's more than just pigment; it's about the crafting of an image. The oil paint itself seems almost violently applied. Editor: Absolutely. And what I love is that violence mirrors his engagement with Cubism, that dissection of form. But it also hints at an internal wrestling, wouldn’t you say? A dismantling of self for re-assembly. Curator: I find that utterly compelling. Considering the era – the aftermath of the First World War – could this almost garish use of paint signify defiance, even resistance, against the destruction he witnessed? An insistence of life, created through strenuous labor, defying easy beauty? Editor: Precisely! The materials used become active participants in the narrative, revealing a socio-political context, which in turn inform the subject. Oil paint, after all, was a valuable, increasingly accessible commodity during that period. Its vibrant red is practically shouting. Curator: Yes, it is not a casual choice. He’s quite literally crafting his own legend out of available materials. And think of the skill needed, almost concealed within the deceptively raw surface, as Miró navigates Cubism and veers into his distinct symbolic visual language. Editor: A tension exists in the labour he has exerted, yet he deliberately does not cover the traces; he's presenting us with process. Curator: A potent, multifaceted exploration, really. From the materials used to its Cubist leaning perspective on identity and personal expression. Editor: I leave it contemplating not just Miró's face, but also the world it reflected, a process, beautifully disrupted, never quite fully resolved, in crimson oil.