Mi papá no es un zapato azul 1989

This untitled painting by Julio Galan looks like it was made with a collection of found images and collage, and it feels really intuitive—like, he’s not afraid to put the wrong thing in the wrong place. It's like Galan is having a conversation with himself here, maybe even an argument. I can imagine him standing in his studio, moving images around on the canvas, trying out different combinations, not afraid to make a mess. Look at the pale face surrounded by collage scraps, and the meat and vegetable cuts around the figure: are they part of a portrait, or are they interruptions? That’s what I love about painting: it's never quite finished, but it’s always in dialogue with other paintings. Galan had been thinking about the great history of portrait painting here, for sure. Maybe this painting reminds you of other works you've seen, too? Perhaps this painting is in conversation with those.