Eduardo Portillo: Close Encounters

Human beings have seen shapes in the stars since the beginning of time. We use minimal space, light, and color to let our imaginations run wild. We feel, then fill, the spaces in between. With his recent collection, Close Encounters, Houston-based artist Eduardo Portillo executes that universal vision on an entirely new level.

Crafting creations with acrylic on shaped canvas, Portillo mutates one of the most recognizable, fundamental pillars of art - the canvas itself- into work that exists simultaneously as sculpture and painting. His unique approach brings new dimension and value to his work, and the resulting canvases jump off the wall (or the floor).

Karakum C100, 2018. Acrylic on Canvas. 68 x 52 x 5 inches.

Karakum C100, 2018. Acrylic on Canvas. 68 x 52 x 5 inches.

Currently showing in Houston’s Anya Tish Gallery, Close Encounters challenges the viewer to eschew traditional painting constructs and study Portillo’s work as something more. His seemingly minimalistic approach belies the depth and interplay between space and color in each canvas. Portillo uses peaks, valleys, jagged edges, and softly faded colors to push and pull the gaze. When asked about his latest work, Portillo quipped, “I played around with the idea and it revealed itself to work.”

The artist isn’t wrong- it works. Portillo’s transitions between spaces and colors vary from jagged to whimsical, enticing the viewer on an emotional journey through light and space that challenges our own conceptions of traditional form. Make sure and check out the talented Mr. Portillo’s Close Encounters, now through November 10 at the Anya Tish Gallery.