Faena, 2017

“Faena” refers to the most refined part of the corrida — the moment when strength gives way to precision, intuition and a play of appearances. It is not a record of a brutal fight, but a dialogue between two energies, based on rhythm, proximity and the constant concealment of one’s intentions. The meeting of man and bull resembles a choreography in which every gesture can be at once an invitation, a provocation or an evasion.

The painting is built from dynamic vertical forms evoking the figure of a man and the movement of a bull. Intense red becomes the symbol of the muleta — a sign of attention, courage and provocation — while at the same time announcing the presence of blood, which for now remains only a possibility. The painterly gesture leads the viewer between tension and lightness, control and improvisation, creating a space pulsating with an energy reminiscent of capoeira, where fight and dance become inseparable.

Within the Corrida series, Faena speaks of the moment when the confrontation is still open. It is a painting about strategy, mutual observation and emotional tension, before the ritual reveals its final consequences.