Flock 1970

Editor: Here we have Jesús Meneses del Barco's "Flock," an oil painting from 1970. It evokes a dreamlike, almost ethereal feeling with its muted colors and soft focus. What do you make of it? Curator: For me, it whispers of a timeless connection between humanity and nature. Notice how the flock almost melts into the landscape; is it the figures or the ochre mist, can you separate it? The artist is reminding us how intertwined we are. He evokes that quiet hum of routine that marks rural life. Ever felt the hypnotic lull of watching sheep graze, editor? Editor: I haven’t, but I see that here. There's also a striking lack of sharp detail; the figures seem suggested rather than explicitly defined. Is that intentional? Curator: Absolutely. It shifts the focus from the individual shepherd and his specific flock, to something broader. To me, the scene mirrors our memories... they're hardly ever crystal-clear photographs are they, more like impressionistic strokes, always shimmering, moving away, but the feeling they leave... Editor: That makes sense. It does feel less like a portrait and more like a feeling. Like a memory fading. Curator: Tell me, could it be read as something more poignant perhaps? It seems there are also darker sections. Think back, editor. Is the feeling purely that dreaminess you originally thought it? Editor: Perhaps there is an element of melancholy. It might be about loss of tradition? I am seeing more darkness now, it wasn’t immediately visible. Thank you! Curator: Exactly! Art does not exist in a vaccum, my friend! It lives when we allow it to have conversations with us!