In art, as in life, sometimes we feel a magnetic force that pulls us towards a specific piece, making our heads turn and drawing us closer and closer. Whenever we walk by a work of art that relates to our style, personality or taste, we are attracted towards it with the same intensity as we are held to the ground due to gravity. Even if we are in a rush, at that particular moment, we can’t help but to turn around and pay attention to what the artwork is trying to tell us. It’s like the artwork is seeking your attention and won’t just stand there unnoticed. Well, that happened to me when I saw for the first time this piece made by our artist Miguel Caldas.
Let’s start by saying that Tairona (also spelled Tayrona) takes its name from the ancient pre-Columbian tribe that settled in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Just by hearing its name I was transported to what today is known as the Tairona National Park, one of the most beautiful places I have ever been (if you haven’t, consider this place in your future plans). As described by some travel agencies, the region comprises “stunning stretches of golden sandy beach backed by coconut palms and thick rainforest. Behind it all rise the steep hillsides of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world’s highest coastal mountain range.”
All this prelude allowed me to understand the reasoning for the color palette chosen for this work: variations of blue, green and yellow that evoke the magic of a beautiful land. But the name and the combination of colors were not the only things that caught my attention. I was also surprised by its particular snake-like shape too, total badass. Not too many works defy the regular shapes that we are all used to seeing. On top of that, there was the combination of geometry and texture; yes! there’s texture. Even the texture follows a pattern, it gives the painting even more character. But to be honest, I think it was a bit of everything what grabbed me. Even though I have a tendency to lean towards geometric works, in this case it was different. I felt like if it had been custom made for me (but it wasn’t). And here’s the deal with Tairona: it’s bold, it challenges what we are used to see, and yet, it remains elegant. We could say that this work has a chic vibe, and for us, geometry lovers, it wouldn’t go unnoticed.
SIDENOTE – Art in the spotlight
These types of works are so versatile that can brighten up any place. Tairona’s shape and colors suggest a more modern environment though. It works perfectly with a citric-colored palette and obviously, with the classics black and white. A work like this one deserves a wall for its own, and one of the cool things is that Tairona can be displayed vertically or horizontally, giving us more options. Any color of light should work well in my opinion, white or cool/cold lighting will accentuate Tairona’s features. Do you imagine if we added a pin-spot LED light aiming towards this work? Wow.