Bodegón 1971

Carlos Nadal’s “Bodegón” is an oil painting where color does all the work, conjuring up a still life that's more felt than seen. Check out how Nadal lays down these confident strokes, like he's building a world rather than just copying one. It’s all about process here, a dance between the objects and the paint, where the thick textures and playful color clashes create a kind of organized chaos. See that bit of sheet music under the fruit? The way Nadal renders it, it becomes another layer of texture, a visual melody that hums beneath the surface of the painting. This feels like a conversation with someone like Marsden Hartley, who also knew how to turn everyday objects into these vibrant, emotional landscapes. It’s like Nadal’s saying that painting isn’t about perfect representation, but about embracing the messiness and the magic of seeing.