Witoto 1970

This is Omar Rayo’s ‘Witoto,’ made without a date, that makes me think about design, architecture, and illusion. The red and blue maze-like design looks like it was carefully planned, but I bet there was a lot of trial and error to get that depth and trompe-l'oeil effect. I think there is something playful and philosophical in those lines, with some of the shapes seeming to lift off the surface of the painting. It has a graphic clarity and reminds me of the Op Art movement. Rayo clearly knew his stuff! I mean, just look how those stripes of pure red and blue vibrate against each other, creating a kind of optical buzzing. When I look at the black border, I wonder about its purpose, whether it is there to define or contain. Like an argument with a frame, is it there to open up? Rayo's work is deeply rooted in the history of geometric abstraction and concrete art. What do you think?