Metaesquema 

Helio Oiticica made this painting, titled Metaesquema, using basic materials: paint on board. The shapes are geometric, but imperfectly so. The red rectangles are separated by white lines, all resting on a neutral ground. Oiticica made many of these Metaesquemas, and they are best understood as experiments. He was interested in how far he could push the basic elements of painting – color, line, composition – before they began to suggest something beyond themselves. The handmade quality is key here. The imperfections are not a lack of skill but rather an indication of a human presence, mediating the seemingly simple grid. The title Metaesquema, or Meta-scheme, suggests that Oiticica was also reflecting on the rationalist impulse behind geometric abstraction, seen in the work of earlier artists. By embracing the handmade, he subtly undermined the utopian aspirations often associated with this kind of work. He was interested in liberation, but knew that it had to come from the ground up. This involved both the mind and the body, and most importantly, direct experience.