Flores e Frutas 2003

This brightly colored image, Flores e Frutas, by Aldemir Martins, is a feast for the eyes. I love the way he's using color to define form, like building blocks for the flowers and fruit. The colors really pop, don't they? Martins isn’t trying to trick us into thinking these are real flowers and fruit; it’s about pure, unadulterated joy. Look at the surface, it is full of texture, like the image has been printed over and over. It feels like an open invitation to play with our perceptions of color and shape. And, those blacks really ground the composition. It's almost a dare - can you make sense of this chaos? Can you find the beauty in the off-kilter perspective? I am reminded of Matisse, but Martins has his own fresh take. It's like he's saying, "Here's a world of color and shape; come, explore it with me!"