Encounter 2009

Carmen Herrera made 'Encounter' with paint, and what strikes me is the confidence of the gesture. You know, painting can be like a dance – one step forward, another back – but there’s no hesitation here. Look closely, and you’ll see how the blue and white aren't just colours, they’re shapes, solidifying in front of us. The white cuts across the blue like a flash of insight, two diagonal lines colliding, making a kind of zig-zag. It's all about the surface, the way the paint sits just so. Herrera’s a master of making it look easy, but that’s the genius, right? Herrera reminds me of Agnes Martin - that less-is-more approach. It's like they're both whispering, "What can I take away and still have it all?" There's so much packed in here, but the real trick is holding back.