“The Song of the Vowels,” crafted by Joan Miró in 1967, is an abstract artwork that exemplifies the cross-pollination of Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism. Miró’s work is renowned for its spontaneous and automatic approach to painting, which is a hallmark of Abstract Expressionist methods, while also embodying the dream-like qualities attributed to Surrealism. The genre of this artwork is abstract, and it encompasses a wide array of luminous shapes and forms scattered throughout the composition against a dark backdrop.
The artwork presents an intriguing juxtaposition of vibrant, elongated ovoid forms and smaller, more irregularly shaped elements that defy immediate interpretation, appearing to float in a deep, black space. These ethereal shapes are rendered in a variety of colours including shades of blue, green, red, yellow, and white. Their distribution across the canvas seems at once random and carefully considered, suggesting the presence of a rhythm or a kind of visual melody, which resonates with the title’s reference to a ‘song.’ The vast darkness enveloping these bright spots and lines evokes a feeling of the cosmos or a nighttime reverie, while the forms themselves might be seen as celestial bodies or the visual equivalents of musical notes.
Overall, the artwork is imbued with a sense of mystery and enchantment, typical of Miró’s artistic intent to tap into the subconscious and give form to the fluidity of thoughts and dreams. The careful balance between order and chaos, the deliberate use of color amidst a dominating darkness, and the playful yet profound nature of the forms, all contribute to the engaging and thought-provoking quality of the piece.
