Popeye 2008

Curator: At first glance, it feels like a burst of confetti—a playful energy just leaps off the canvas. Editor: Indeed. What we have here is Beatriz Milhazes's "Popeye," created in 2008. Milhazes works primarily in acrylic on canvas. And it seems you've sensed her signature vibrant layering of geometric forms. Curator: Layering is right. Look at how she uses circles within circles—creating depth and almost a sense of kinetic energy. The composition itself is so dynamic, yet somehow maintains perfect equilibrium. Do you find her utilization of acrylic intriguing, considering its place in contemporary art? Editor: Absolutely. Milhazes's acrylic becomes almost a defiant embrace of mass production within high art. The sheer density of layered paint also draws attention to the laborious process, all that applying and reapplying necessary to build up the final design. We need to remember too that painting, with its historical ties to elite patronage, can be revolutionized when combined with such pop art forms, such as pattern and decoration. Curator: You speak of process—the construction itself seems key to unlocking her vision. It transcends pure representation; the forms evoke ideas more than depict concrete objects. It’s representational, and also allusive. Editor: And it forces us to re-evaluate hierarchies, where craft informs and elevates “high” art forms, such as geometric abstraction. I think what attracts me most is that this piece exemplifies how we can redefine painting with contemporary and accessible methods, as acrylic surely is. Curator: A joyous reminder that rigor doesn’t have to negate exuberance. A structured riot, if you will. Editor: A compelling final thought. It encourages one to approach art, not with stuffy preconceptions, but with curiosity for the materials and a critical gaze for technique.