The door of harmony 1957

Jose de Almada-Negreiros made this painting called 'The Door of Harmony' and straight away I’m struck by the dance between the black and white shapes. It's like a game of chess, where the artist is working out all the angles. Up close, the surface has a real flatness to it. The paint isn’t trying to trick you into thinking it’s anything other than pigment on canvas. The black square in the center of the composition seems to be both receding and advancing. Then the large black triangle, with its sharp edges, cuts into the white space, creating a visual tension that’s so satisfying. Thinking about other artists, I see echoes of Malevich here, but with a warmer, more playful sensibility. Ultimately, this artwork is about balance, and the idea that harmony can emerge from the simplest of forms.