Red Star 1949

Carmen Herrera made this painting, "Red Star," with paint, probably oil or acrylic, and a steady hand! Herrera’s forms are so crisp they look like they’ve been cut out and collaged, but they’re painted, which is key. This kind of hard-edge painting is all about precision and planning, but it's also about the physical act of applying paint to canvas. The surface is smooth, almost machine-like, but you can still feel the hand of the artist in the subtle variations of color and texture. Look closely at the bottom red line - you can see slight inconsistencies in the paint application. Herrera had a unique way of balancing simplicity with dynamism, much like Agnes Martin who distilled painting down to its essence, focusing on line, color, and form. Like Martin, Herrera invites us to slow down and contemplate the subtle nuances of her work, finding beauty in the quiet interplay of shapes and colors. It’s about taking a simple idea and pushing it to its limit, trusting in the power of reduction to speak volumes.