The Picador 1921

Curator: The drama frozen in this piece really strikes me; Manolo’s relief carving titled "The Picador" from 1921 holds a stark kind of beauty. Editor: My first impression is how raw the whole thing feels. You can practically see the artist's hand at work in the roughly hewn surfaces. It gives it a tangible energy. Curator: Precisely. Note the choice of a relief structure. The relative ease with which the artist could remove material from the background allowed for efficient production. Furthermore, because reliefs can be easily and cheaply mass produced and transported, we could surmise it’s intent was widespread distribution and public engagement with a narrative. What do you think of the narrative itself? Editor: Well, seeing this, especially knowing when it was made, makes me consider the context of bullfighting, a sport steeped in tradition and, arguably, in problematic cultural values of masculinity and dominance over the natural world. I wonder if Manolo sought to depict a narrative celebrating, or even critiquing that culture. Curator: That's fascinating. It begs the question of whose perspective are we being shown in this particular iteration of bullfighting’s “dance.” I appreciate how the formal properties speak to the social implications that surround its imagery. How does it all add up for you? Editor: I feel an immediacy, like a snapshot capturing both the grace and brutality of a controversial event. The figures seem to strain against their confines. As a historical document, it opens so many dialogues about art and its function. Curator: Indeed, an object born from, and speaking to, very specific processes and contexts—that manages to evoke complex emotions still relevant today. Editor: Precisely; food for thought on so many levels.