Bulto 1935 - 1942

This watercolor drawing, "Bulto," by an anonymous artist, pulls you in with its delicate, yet direct approach. Look at how the artist confidently lays down these washes of color. See how the blues in the architectural structure contrast with the warmer tones of the figure within? That dance of color gives the piece a unique kind of energy. The material quality is interesting. The thin watercolor allows for a certain transparency, creating depth and luminosity in the bars and the delicate patterning that decorates the Bulto. The artist wasn’t trying to hide anything. The translucency feels honest. Look at the way the red flowers are repeated around the object, each one slightly different, slightly imperfect. It’s like they’re breathing, like the artist is showing you their hand, their process. This piece reminds me a bit of the early work of Forrest Bess, who was also interested in the boundaries between the spiritual and the physical and wasn’t afraid to let the rough edges show. It reminds us that art is about exploration, about asking questions rather than providing answers.