Untitled 1971

This painting by Luis Feito involves big gestures and pretty basic shapes. It’s a purple ground with what looks like a big red sun up top, hovering over a cluster of blobby forms in black, yellow, green, and maroon. I imagine Feito approaching the canvas, maybe a little bit unsure, but then just going for it, slapping down those circles with confidence. The paint looks thick, juicy almost, especially in the red sun, which makes me think of Joan Miro with a dash of children’s book illustration. There’s something playful about the simplicity of the forms. I wonder if he was thinking about how shapes interact, how colors pop against each other. It's like he’s saying, "Here are the basics, what can you do with them?" It makes you want to grab a brush and try it yourself, see what happens when you let the colors and shapes lead the way. Painting is a language, and Feito is inviting us to join the conversation.