Femme assise 1938

Here, Joan Miró makes a figure with paint and line. It's a playful process where shapes become things. Look closely, and you can see that Miró wasn’t afraid of the raw materiality of the paint, it’s not blended or subtle, and it's really allowed to stand out. The background is matte and flat which makes the other elements stand out, especially that crazy, juicy blue of the figure. Is it a head? A body? I don’t know, but I love the texture. Then there are the lines that go on top, almost like he was doodling over the top of something. The red line seems to connect or strangle the two main figures. I see a bit of Paul Klee in this. Both artists weren't afraid to be childish and playful, but, for me, Miró has a little more bite. Ultimately, this work embraces the fact that art doesn’t have to have all the answers. It’s not about perfect representation, but about opening up possibilities.