Cana 1938

Editor: We're looking at "Cana," a 1938 oil painting by Candido Portinari. The painting depicts workers in what appears to be a sugarcane field, and I'm struck by the rough, almost brutal depiction of labor. What can you tell us about the artist's choices here? Curator: For me, the painting screams social realism and speaks to the production of sugar cane in Brazil during that time. Portinari uses oil paint in a way that doesn't try to mask the process. We can see the layering and texture, it’s a kind of rawness, an intentional lack of refinement in line with its subject. Do you see the emphasis on the workers' bodies and their physical struggle? Editor: Yes, the figures seem almost sculpted from the earth itself, with such thick, coarse features and shapes! Curator: Exactly! Portinari isn't just depicting these figures, he is actively participating in making labor visible. Consider the tools and materials in relation to the social and economic context. How does Portinari’s choice of material elevate and validate the lives of working-class individuals? What are they wearing, carrying? Think about the contrast of that to high society, or formal portraiture. Editor: That’s really interesting. So you're suggesting the very *making* of the painting, the way he used oil paint, and how that brings an elevated consideration to the topic, and gives voice to their experience? Curator: Precisely. The crude brushstrokes and heavy application become part of the message. It links the materiality of the painting directly to the lived realities and arduous work conditions that shaped society at the time. What would be missing from this painting if Portinari were to use pastels? Editor: That reframing is super helpful, I never thought of it that way, and opens the discussion up to materials far more. Thanks for making it so much more insightful! Curator: Absolutely. It all points to considering how material choices create meaning and elevate everyday life!