25 1989

Albert Rafols-Casamada created this work, titled ‘25’, with lithography. You can see how the process of lithography lends itself to these flat planes of color, layered and slightly misaligned to make a surprisingly complex surface. I love the ochre tonality that anchors the piece. It feels warm, like sun-drenched earth. Look closely at how Casamada lets the white paper peek through in places; it's like he's building a puzzle of color, piece by piece. Then there are those bold lines dancing around the edges—the thin brown line on the left, or the pink one on the right—they create this push and pull effect, like the painting is breathing. This tension between flat color and active line reminds me of the work of Sean Scully, but with a warmer, more intimate feel. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation, a constant exchange of ideas, never fixed but always changing.