Cathedral in Yellow 1961

Curator: Before us hangs René Portocarrero’s “Cathedral in Yellow,” an acrylic painting realized in 1961. Editor: Woah! Talk about a vibrant deconstruction. My first thought is, if a stained-glass window dreamed, it would dream in Cubism, and this is the afterimage. Curator: An astute observation. Portocarrero masterfully synthesizes the geometric fragmentation intrinsic to Cubism with a cityscape theme, abstracting the architectural elements of a cathedral. The yellow background creates a flat, almost otherworldly space, emphasizing the two-dimensionality. Editor: It almost buzzes, doesn't it? All those little compartments of color stacked one on top of the other. Like the artist looked at a cathedral and thought, “I can unpack that…into a party.” Curator: Precisely! Each color segment contains and directs the gaze. Consider how the repeated use of form invites semiotic analysis; doors, windows, and archways become symbols open for interpretation, rather than strictly representative elements. Editor: Symbols dancing, more like it! The lack of shadows or a consistent light source throws everything forward. This feels less about bricks and mortar, and more about a sense of ascension… reaching for something, literally up toward the implied steeple. Curator: That upward motion certainly reinforces a feeling of aspiration. Ultimately, what strikes me is how Portocarrero harnesses a visual language that simultaneously honors tradition and welcomes disruption. Editor: Yeah. And how he transformed the solid, groundedness of a building into something fluid and full of joyous, quirky spirit. I could stare at it all day.