FORMA DE PERCUSION 

Editor: So, here we have Ramón Oviedo's "Forma de Percusión," made with mixed media and acrylic paint. It's...intense, almost a primal scream on canvas. The geometric shapes seem to be fighting for dominance against this earthy red background. What do you make of it? Curator: It’s tempting to see this purely as abstract, but let’s think about Oviedo’s position as a Dominican artist working during a period of intense political upheaval. Art Informel, which this seems to gesture towards, was popular, in part, because abstraction could bypass censorship. Could these clashing forms be interpreted as a response to social and political fragmentation? Editor: That’s a compelling thought! So the title “Forma de Percusión,” – Percussion Form - might refer to more than just visual rhythm, perhaps suggesting a social disruption, like a percussive sound cutting through silence? Curator: Exactly! How might we interpret this in light of, say, the dictatorial regime of Rafael Trujillo, which impacted artistic expression and cultural identity in the Dominican Republic for decades? What statements do the choice of materials suggest? It looks almost like distressed fabric. Editor: That makes me consider if he is purposefully selecting inexpensive or available materials as another expression, given constraints? Like the earthiness relates back to identity tied to place. I never considered how political abstraction could be! Curator: And how the seemingly 'universal' language of abstract art always exists in dialogue with very specific contexts and power dynamics. These artists still managed to say something, by saying something else. Editor: I’ll never look at an abstract painting the same way again. Thanks for widening the lens! Curator: My pleasure, it is fascinating how the most abstract art often connects deeply with socio-political circumstances.