Puzzled Wave

“Puzzled Wave” (2021) is another of Jorge Blanco’s takes on portraiture. A common characteristic are the clear blue eyes, a couple buttons in a pink or red color, and the incomparable attention to detail Blanco uses to convey movement in all his work. Here, the figure turns toward the viewer, with a jagged line of a mouth and hair standing on end to show confusion, accompanied by a lower torso in crisp yellow. Blanco’s roots as a cartoonist are magnificently displayed, as the many lines at the bottom of the figure and the side suggest the direction it is headed and waving, simultaneously. Blanco’s sparing use of color, punctuated by the white skin and a darker gray shadow next to the face, also focuses the eye on key aspects of the subject, and helps us engage with the image directly, honestly, and with an appreciation for Blanco’s wit and humor.