Aranjuez 1996

Alejandro Cabeza's "Aranjuez," painted in 1996, is a small oil painting with a lovely light touch. The brushstrokes are dabbed on, one next to the other, creating a mosaic effect that captures the dappled sunlight in the garden. It's the physicality of the paint that grabs me. Thick in some places, particularly in the foliage, it thins out on the sun-drenched path in the foreground, creating a contrast that makes the garden feel alive. Look at how the columns of the fountain are rendered – each stroke seems to dance with the light, their round forms appearing with deft touches. You can almost feel the rough texture of the stone. This reminds me a little of early Monet, or perhaps even some of Bonnard's garden scenes. There's something special in these paintings, that captures an atmosphere, not just a picture, but a feeling. The garden is both there and not there, a reminder that art is a conversation, a constant reimagining of the world around us.