Arlequín 1980

Julio Galan’s painting Arlequín has the feel of something made with modest means, humble materials, but with great care. Look how the figure emerges softly from the muted background, a gentle harlequin. Those heavy black dots on the costume pull your eye, anchoring the composition. And those balls, they hover like thoughts or dreams above his head. What was Galan thinking when he made this? Was he feeling playful, melancholic, or perhaps both? The paint is applied thinly, almost translucent, which gives it an ethereal quality. It reminds me of other painters, like the early Renaissance masters, who were also interested in capturing a sense of otherworldly beauty. But Galan brings a contemporary sensibility, a touch of irony, to this age-old tradition. Artists like Galan are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting is a form of expression, embracing ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations.