From an Other's Perspective

Two patches of color appear against a background composed of monochromatic brushstrokes. The first, smaller patch is located on the right. The second, larger and more elongated one is situated on the left. In both cases, bold strokes of white paint are gradually assimilated into an expanse of green. The smaller form, which is revealed to be a cauliflower, draws inwards, enclosed by a series of green and brown lines. Serving as a point of departure, it leads the eye towards the leeks, whose white bottoms give way to bright green stalks extending beyond the limits of the frame. The eye continues on its trajectory, searching for their tips, yet is constrained to proceed on its own. Registering the strokes of paint as it moves upwards, downwards, and to the sides, it searches for something to hold onto, looking for another perspective.

This is a central motif in Daniel Enkaoua’s works: The point where the artist’s hand becomes present is also the point where it gives way to the eye of the viewer observing an Other. The eye must thus engage in the endless Sisyphean task of completing what the mind is attempting to receive. The represented object does not remain self-contained, but rather dissolves into the background, and then slowly “objectifies” itself again. Enkaoua’s painting does away with the hierarchy between object and background. Even though his compositions each include a still life or a figure, these are presented as equal to the background – as is the case in frescoes or street art, where the surrounding elements are integral to the representational sphere.

Photography: Gasull Fotografia, Barcelona.

Click here to view the exhibition catalogue