Untitled [plate XLVI] 1958

Joan Miró made this untitled plate with printmaking ink and tools, and I imagine him feeling like he was inventing a new form of language. The work is constructed from strong, clear colors – the black of the head with its funny red and yellow eyes, the blue body, and the red spot floating off to the side, all contained by a black border. There’s a childlike quality to the forms, but also a sophistication in how they are placed, giving the whole thing a sense of floating. Looking at it, I imagine Miro trying different forms and shapes until a figure emerged, playful and slightly strange. It reminds me of his other work where biomorphic shapes meet bold, simple colors. Artists like Miró are having a conversation across time, and I feel like I'm a part of it, too.