“La Pelea/The Fight is a 46-foot panoramic oil-on-canvas. At the center of the “picture” and surrounded by a jeering crowd, the viewer becomes literally and conceptually involved as the one who is about to fight and defend themself.” I kinda wanna see what this would do to my psyche. I find the idea incredibly creative, as I’ve never seen a painting in the form of a loop instead of flat canvas. There have been paintings just as long, like that of Michelangelo’s, but never a canvas that bends… it makes me wonder how it was painted — flat and then folded? Or was Salvador Diaz in the middle of the circle the whole time? As he painted the antagonizers before his eyes, and spent all that time in that panorama, was the painting process agonizing? Or did it not affect him at all? I’m excited to explore a piece of art that engages the viewer so interactively.
The painting will be available to visit in the Institute for the Humanities Gallery on 202 S. Thayer until Friday December 9th! The gallery is open on weekdays from 9am – 5pm.
Learn more here: https://lsa.umich.edu/humanities/news-events/all-events.detail.html/97756-21795058.html
