Cantimploras chinas, 2002 by Guillermo Muñoz Vera

Provenance:
Gary Nader Fine Art, Miami
Private Collection

Guillermo Muñoz Vera begins each painting with a gesso base before layering a grisaille paste, colour and translucent glazes to convey the remarkable textural effects he is renowned for. In "Cantimploras chinas," Muñoz Vera has meticulously depicted five Chinese canteens of various sizes, resting on an antique wooden chest with shiny metal fixtures. The surface of the stone canteens is remarkably textured, appearing worn, discoloured, and even flaking in some places, to create the illusion of age. The canteens have small round necks, corks and ring handles from which dangle frayed ropes. However, his little "mise-en-scène" is not entirely perfect, with the fallen canteen at the centre disrupting the unity of the composition.

Muñoz Vera’s detailed exploration of form is poetic and atmospheric, with his precise brushstrokes transforming everyday objects into works of art.