At Carminel, the human dimension

Rather than physical form, Spanish painter Obdulio penetrates the very soul of his subjects. Born to a poverty stricken family in war-torn, rural Spain, Obdulio pays special homage to individuals demonstrating physical and spiritual endurance. His portraits succeed on the basis of his unusually sensitive treatment of each subject�s eyes.

Obdulio�s treatment of eyes approaches that of Rembrandt or more recently, Lucian Freud, in terms of psychological depth. Many of his subjects, like "The Smoker" , "Woman" and "Ignacia, Mv Mother," invoke a strong sense of melancholy. Obdulio enhances the somber mood through expressive application of color, with various combinations of pastel, charcoal, and ink.

Christ is a recurrent subject for Obdulio. Depicting only the head, Obdulio employs Christ�s expressive eyes as a metaphor for human suffering. A portrait of the artist�s mother explores a similar theme of personal sacrifice. Obdulio captures a moment when her eyes are closed, wearied by a lifetime of selfless labor.

Obdulio�s portrait of sharp-witted Span�ish novelist, Camilo Jose Cela, is his only oil on canvas. Here again Obdulio succeeds in animating an individual personality, in this case, through the author�s alert and unflinching gaze.

In an increasingly technological and impersonal age, human portraiture holds significance, even beyond the enshrinement of a particular individual. Art which addressees the human subject induces both self-reflection and involvement with one�s fellow man

Shelley Drake

Feb 1, 1998