Retablo 1950

This is Retablo by Carlos Merida, and what strikes me is how Merida is making it up as he goes along, like a jazz musician riffing on a theme. The composition has a cool, serene quality, with the figures arranged in a rhythmic pattern across the surface. The color palette is earthy and muted. Look at the dark green background. See how it makes the figures pop out. Each shape feels carefully considered, yet there's also a sense of spontaneity, as if Merida is embracing the imperfections and accidents of the process. The hands are like forks, with only three digits, and the faces are almost blank. It makes me think of other artists who were exploring abstraction and figuration at the same time, like Marsden Hartley, or maybe even some of the early Cubists. Art is a conversation, and Merida is definitely adding his own unique voice to the mix. Art invites us to slow down, look closely, and ask questions.