M'han Pres La Cartera (Poema De Joan Brossa) 1951

Joan Ponç made this dreamlike image with pencils and crayons, and it's like stepping into a land where the rules are bent and imagination reigns. The piece has this great hazy, dreamy feel, like a memory half-recalled. Look closely, and you'll see how Ponç uses the crayon in layers, building up these pale lavender hues, letting the texture of the paper peek through. It’s not about hiding the process, it's about revealing it, letting the hand of the artist be seen. See the character on the right pointing up to the moon? The lines are scratchy, and unsure, but they have a real energy to them. Ponç reminds me of artists like Leonora Carrington, who conjured their own worlds, full of strange figures and mysterious landscapes. Art is a conversation that’s been going on for centuries, a back-and-forth of ideas, and Ponç has definitely added his own unique voice to the mix.