Untitled 1973

Luchita Hurtado made this untitled painting with what looks like colored pencil or pastel. I imagine her working methodically. Block by block she worked, like building a wall, but with color! What was she thinking about as she made this? I see blues, purples, and grays intermingling. Hurtado was known for her experimentation with color and form, often exploring themes of nature, the body, and interconnectedness. Look at the gentle curves that disrupt the rigid geometry. There’s a push-pull between order and chaos, control and freedom. It's like she’s trying to contain something fluid within a grid. Hurtado’s piece reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids but with a more relaxed vibe. Like all paintings, this one invites us into a conversation about seeing. Each artist has their own voice but all artists borrow from each other too. Painting is an embodied expression. We can appreciate the ambiguity, allowing space for our own ideas to emerge.