Quicklime and Stone
- Technique
- Mixed media on canvas with adhered cardboard and paper, embossed folds and layers of oil and acrylic with granular spatter.
- Dimensions
- 65 × 147 cm
- Year
- 1989
A vertical field is divided between dark strata and a folded lime skin, joined by a central seam of light and minimal shadow.
About the work
An irregular, luminous vertical fissure organises the work into two territories that converse without merging. On the left, six horizontal bands unfold like sedimented strata: dark, densely grained strips with broken edges alternate with pale pauses where the material thins and allows the support to breathe. On the right, a mosaic of broader folds constructs a surface with a mural aspect, almost slabbed, crossed by discreet vertical ochre traces that act as signs of passage.
Light operates through relief. In profile one can see how the superimposed layers lift minutely from the plane, generating the finest shadows beneath each raised edge. The spatter and granulation—more intense in the black and earthy bands—introduce a tactile vibration that contrasts with the whitish fields, of veiled lime, where the brushwork dissolves into a matte patina.
The restrained palette, between broken whites, greys and earths, sustains a stillness tensed by rhythmic alternation. The composition avoids gesture and relies on construction: fold, seam and stratum turn the surface into a silent architecture, where each joint records the time of the material.
