America 1955

Rufino Tamayo made this painting, America, with his own way of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world, and that’s what hits me. There’s a roughness to the forms, like he’s carving space itself, and the colours! Earthy reds, grays, and blacks are like a landscape turned inside out. The paint’s laid on thin, almost like a fresco, letting the surface breathe. Look at that snake, all jagged edges and menacing curves, Tamayo wasn't trying to pretty things up; he's showing us the raw, pulsing energy of the place. It's a bit like looking at Picasso, but with a Mexican soul. Tamayo and Picasso both grapple with form, but where Picasso is all about deconstruction, Tamayo is about feeling. His work doesn't give you easy answers; it asks you to bring your own questions. It’s a conversation across time.