MASP

Colombian artist Mateo López’s works often defy the boundaries of drawing, painting and sculpture, transitioning between the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional and the concepts of intention and chance, as well as combining artisanal construction and the appropriation of found objects. In this particular work, the artist uses a rectangular frame and three movable panels within the painting, allowing for various juxtapositions to be created –– even the wall behind it can be intentionally left exposed. The ability to change the panels creates a dynamic composition that suggests abstractions, architectures or landscapes, which can be reconfigured, like a fluid painting. Each strip inside the box has two fields of color that share the space in different proportions. One side is made of beige bookbinding cloth, whilst the other, made with acrylic paint, has a subtle greenish hue, creating subtle chromatic combinations between the two materials. The bookbinding fabric, resembling the texture of linen and historically associated with painting, also evokes the narrative dimension found in books or notebooks. The title references traditional paintboxes used by painters to store their paints and palettes, as well as the specific paint color (Valley Mist) employed in the creation of the piece. López combines different materials, conventions and painting practices to produce a work that challenges the boundaries of this artistic language in relation to sculpture or even literature.

— Leandro Muniz, assistent curator, MASP, 2023

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