Los colores de la libertad blanco 2008

In this artwork by Francis Naranjo, ‘Los colores de la libertad blanco,’ we see a contemplative engagement with the screen. The figure's upward gaze feels like a turn towards hope, or maybe just a consideration of what is above. They are looking up, maybe dreaming of someplace else. The title of the work, translated as ‘The Colors of Freedom White’, prompts me to think about the possibilities of liberation. It’s all about the subtleties of light and how it defines the mood. Maybe, like Agnes Martin, Naranjo shows us that simplicity can lead to complex emotion, and that the barest elements can suggest the infinite. In painting, as in life, each mark is a choice, and each choice leads to another. It’s a process of building, destroying, and rebuilding.