Bala de Leite 2005

Beatriz Milhazes has made something amazing here with paint, collage and paper cut-outs, a real explosion of colour! Just imagine the studio where this work came into being, the tables covered in different scraps and materials, the air buzzing with possibility. I feel like I can sense Milhazes’ hand in every swirl and flourish, she's a conductor of colour! The flowers remind me of Matisse, but with this added Brazilian brightness and a hint of Pop Art energy. Check out the way she places those circles and flowers on top of a ground of rectangular forms, like it's a map, or a board game, or even a quilt. Each element seems carefully considered, yet the overall effect is one of spontaneity. It's like she's whispering to all of us painters, past and present, saying, "Hey, let's not be afraid to mix it up, to play, to collage and cut up things, and to make something totally new!"