As we didn´t have class last Wednesday, I took the afternoon to see the painting exhibition at the sugar old factory “El Pilar” and I have to say that I liked both the place and the paintings very much.
First, I will say that the place seemed to me very interesting. In my opinion, its high ceiling and large walls create a suitable space for exhibitions. In addition, the mixture of so different materials and elements such as the original wooden ceiling, the iron coloumns and the wood and glass for the stairs, is an unconvencional way of transforming an old warehouse into an open and functional modern space.
Second, the collection of paintings on display was large and many of the works were really beautiful. So, it was no easy to say which one I liked most but if I had to choose one I think I would take the following one.
Why have I chosen it? Well, I will make a little comment next.
From my modest knowledge of art this painting is a figurative oil on canvas.
At first glance it caught my attention the harmonious colours and the balanced composition. I also liked the way the painter gets a beautiful image from something that it is only waste. Placed in the centre of the painting and standing out from the rest there is a rubbish container full of old and useless watches. But what makes the painting more attractive for me is the large amount of well-painted watches and clocks which are in plastic bags and cardboard boxes, even on the floor, around the container. There are table clocks, wall clocks and small pieces of them everywhere. All these elements seem to be stored and abandoned in a kind of old factory. Looking at the picture more attentively you can appreciate the details of the so many different types of clocks. The painter makes a tremendous technique display when he skilfully mixes the colours, light and shadow to paint different textures such as plastic, cardboard, glass, silver metal, golden metal , wood and cloth. Despite the brush-stroke direction is not perceived, all the objects are well defined till the point they look real. All in the picture remind us that time goes by not only for the broken clocks, in other time new and useful, but for ourselves. This idea is stressed by the phrase “only time” written on the container. With these words the artist plays with an association of ideas to tell us ironically that time can not be recycled or kept in a plastic bag.
