Ocultos Bajo Plumas c. 1978

Editor: Here we have Alex Castro’s “Ocultos Bajo Plumas,” created around 1978, a graphite drawing that is predominantly monochrome. It feels very dense and textural to me, almost claustrophobic. How do you see this work, particularly in terms of its abstract expressionist elements? Curator: Indeed. This drawing, for me, functions primarily as an exercise in materiality and tonal control. Observe how the artist manipulates the graphite to create varying densities of darkness. Do you perceive a sense of depth or movement despite its seemingly uniform surface? Editor: I see the slight variations in the graphite application, like individual strokes. Is that intentional to avoid a completely flat plane, perhaps hinting at dimensionality? Curator: Precisely. The mark-making is critical. Note how each stroke, seemingly repetitive, contributes to a cumulative texture that avoids static uniformity. Think of it as a field of controlled chaos. We can see the abstract elements, can't we? The artist creates a semiotic interplay between order and disorder, demanding closer visual interrogation. Editor: So, it's the tension between those repetitive marks and the overall uniformity that makes it work? Like a deliberate undoing of the abstract monochrome. Curator: Precisely. It is a formal dance between control and chance. This is a game of foreground and background where darkness overtakes the medium's basic quality and the visual form. What does this technique contribute? Editor: This play elevates what would be an expanse of darkness with detailed tonal richness, engaging the eye beyond what I initially thought possible with just graphite. Thanks, that really helped me understand how to consider abstract elements beyond their literal context. Curator: It highlights the intrinsic qualities, stripping it to its raw visual. The structure carries intrinsic value in an experience that moves beyond surface perception.