LETÍCIA MARQUEZ - Commodu Incommodu
Medium: Acrylic on canvas | Dimensions: 200 x 150 cm | Year: 1960

 

ARTWORK FORMAL DESCRIPTION
The painting shows two figures with humanoid characteristics in the foreground; although they are not clear, one may be a female and the other male. Both appear to be surrounded by elements from the interior of some intimate room. The male figure is painted on the left part of the canvas, standing, while the female is at the center, sitting.

 

THE ARTWORK
The title “Commodu Incommodu” is, right off the bat, a great starting point for trying to unveil the secrets of this work; the way the figures show their arrangements, as well as their countenances, bring tension to the air. What happened in this room, or what is about to happen? What symbolism does this work carry, and what did the artist want to represent? The objects used by the artist to compose the scenery no longer perform their original function; they acquire another, close to what an installation would be like, where everything talks. “There is a strange symbiosis of ape-woman (symbol of fertility) that coexists with a shapeless mass (male?), reminding of the decomposition in Francis Bacon’s works, like the crucifixion of the flesh and the deterioration of matter”. “[…] Leticia’s work is the eternal game between presence and absence, visible and invisible, the plurality of worlds, place of all the impurities of invention” (JUSTINO, 2006).

 

FOR REFLECTION

Leticia's work is instigating at first glance and, in a deeper analysis, allows for a series of reflections on human nature. Leticia's work is thought-provoking at first glance and, in a deeper analysis, allows for a range of thoughts on human nature. The first that calls our attention would be related to relationships, to the hierarchy between the figures: one standing and the other sitting; the female with an animal-like semblance and the male with an undefined profile turned to the left, with his back turned. It seems to be about a toxic or worn-out couple relationship. In this context, the work also incites us to reflect on issues that have been affecting women for centuries, such as patriarchy and sexism. It also refers to couples who share the same space all the time, yet they seem so distant from each other, the classic "being alone in the crowd". Such a situation is very typical in modern relationships and got worse since we need to be indoors due to the pandemic. How many relationships will survive social isolation? How many will come out stronger having experienced all these difficulties?

 

TECHNIQUE – ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

Acrylic painting is a relatively recent technique in history. The paint originates from colored powder (pigments) mixed with an acrylic resin that is generally quick-drying. Characteristics of acrylic paint comprise a quick-drying, easy application, and it is translucent when dry. Another fundamental feature of acrylic colors is that they are indissoluble after drying. Thus, brushes need washing in water before drying, and if it does, it will need alcohol to dissolve the paint. Opposite to oil painting, the shading technique is more difficult with acrylic precisely for its quick drying. Yet, acrylic colors can be easily blended and thinned with water, which is also beneficial when correcting unwanted parts and colors of the painting before drying (HiSoUR). The first synthetic paintings appeared in the 1930s in the United States. These paints were applied on cars or buildings until painters began to use them for artistic purposes. This technique, as we know it today, was invented in 1963 by chemist Henry Levinson. Andy Warhol applied this technique in his artworks.