Homenaje a Juan Soriano 1964

Fernando García Ponce made this painting, Homenaje a Juan Soriano, to honor his friend and fellow artist. It's a construction of muted color, blues, browns, and greys mostly, and feels like a dance between representation and abstraction. The materiality of the paint is really present; it's not trying to hide itself. The brushstrokes are clear, distinct, and you can see how Ponce layered different colors and textures to build up this image. The way he left certain areas more open, raw, and unfinished gives you a glimpse into his process, like he's inviting you into the studio. There's this one mark near the center, a slash of white over a deep blue. It feels spontaneous, immediate. Ponce’s work is related to other painters like Josef Albers, whose work also explored the relationship between form and color. But there's something so personal, so intuitive about this piece, it embraces ambiguity and the ongoing conversation between artists across time.