Self-Portrait 1937

This Self-Portrait by Joan Miró is a peek into the artist’s mind, a collection of marks and colors that build into something resembling a human face. Miró's process feels very present in the nervous lines that swarm to construct a portrait. The texture is alive with visible strokes, thin layers of color creating depth. He doesn’t hide his tracks, instead he lets the surface breathe. See how he layers yellow and blue with pencil lines to build a face? It's like he's mapping out his own identity, each line a thought or feeling, with scribbles for eyes and a nose. The more you look the more you find; strange stars, odd symbols, and abstract shapes that build into a unique vision of self. Miró's playful abstraction is reminiscent of Paul Klee’s childlike and inventive approach to image making. Both artists weren't afraid to break the rules and embrace ambiguity.