Untitled (Red, black, pink and blue) 

Curator: Looking at this abstract watercolor, Untitled (Red, black, pink and blue) by Luis Feito, I am immediately struck by its delicate balance. Editor: It has a curious energy. The colors seem to float and collide simultaneously, anchored by the sharp, grey lines cutting through the composition. Curator: Precisely. Feito's choice of watercolor allows for this interplay of fluidity and structure. You'll notice the contrast between the softer washes and more defined linear elements. This pushes and pulls your eye around the plane of the paper. Editor: It also presents a very simplified commentary on color. I am thinking of Barnett Newman’s statements on pure color having presence, specifically within the American Color Field movement which greatly valued large scale and impactful simple artistic gestures, however I don’t find as much visual impact from this given it's modest materiality. Curator: You are spot-on to invoke Barnett Newman's discourse around color. Here, the color choices have semiotic charge in conversation with shape. Take the bold red orb—it's the visual anchor, of course, but also feels vaguely assertive against the cool blues and pale pinks. Editor: Assertive indeed. One is reminded that these shades might recall feminine aesthetics. In a broader scope, is the red mark taking some sort of action over those? Or could it be a comment on the placement of woman within public viewership? I find it slightly uncanny, that orb…almost sentient. Curator: That's an astute interpretation considering our contemporary discourse around feminism. But from a formal perspective, what strikes me about the composition is its successful orchestration of chaos. Editor: Yet contained, restrained. The watercolor is actively pooled in specific segments, refusing a larger outburst across the expanse. It begs the question, did Feito struggle with containing himself at some moment in time? Curator: That idea that you're posing gestures at psychological commentary of his life through artistic work; the question may be not what, but rather why he sought expression with this choice of art. In abstraction, intention is perpetually, provocatively vague, yet here, I find the success of formalism triumphing once again. Editor: Absolutely. What lingers for me is this delicate balance that provokes all manner of inquiries! Curator: For me, the way this piece balances structure and serendipity provides much to contemplate.