#45681 Arcadi Blasco

The artwork presents a fragmented figure constructed from numerous small, roughly square tiles. These tiles, predominantly in warm earth tones – ochre, terracotta, and burnt sienna – are arranged to suggest a head turned slightly towards the viewers left. The surface texture of each tile is varied; some display smooth, glazed areas while others exhibit incised lines creating a sense of deliberate patterning or even rudimentary topography.
A significant portion of the composition occupies a dark grey-black area that contrasts sharply with the warmer tones. This darker section appears to define the lower part of the figure and contributes to an overall feeling of weight and solidity. A single, circular void punctuates the central tile of the head, drawing immediate attention and disrupting the otherwise cohesive surface.
The artist’s choice of materials and construction method evokes a sense of reconstruction or assemblage. The fragmented nature of the form suggests a deconstruction of traditional portraiture, moving away from realistic representation towards an exploration of shape, texture, and spatial relationships. The deliberate roughness in the tile edges and the unevenness of their surfaces contribute to this effect, preventing any illusion of seamlessness or perfection.
Subtly, theres a feeling of both monumentality and vulnerability present. The scale implied by the size of the head, combined with its earthy palette, suggests an ancient presence, while the fragmented form and the unsettling void in the face introduce elements of fragility and uncertainty. The work seems to ponder themes of identity, memory, and the process of piecing together a whole from disparate parts. It is not merely a depiction but rather an investigation into the very nature of representation itself.