Deshabitados #101 1961

Pedro Coronel made "Deshabitados #101" with paint on canvas, and right away I notice this feels less like seeing something and more like stepping into a mood, or a feeling. The way he builds up these textures with different tones of red is something else. Up close, you can really feel the physicality of the paint. See how some areas are built up layer upon layer while others are scraped back? The contrast between the smooth, almost translucent washes of color and the rough, impastoed surfaces is what gives the work its depth and complexity. Look at the circular shapes in the top right corner. They almost seem to float above the surface, creating a sense of movement and dynamism. There’s a certain kinship here with the work of someone like Antoni Tàpies, who was also into exploring the tactile qualities of paint, where the surface of the painting becomes a landscape in itself. Ultimately, Coronel invites us to slow down, to linger, and to embrace the inherent ambiguity of the work.