ERNEST COMPTA LLINÀS The Painter of Vulnerability At times, we encounter paintings that call to us like a siren’s song. The canvases cry out for our attention, they captivate us, seduce us, observe us even more than we observe them as viewers. They have much to say and they long for someone to listen. Many of Ernest Compta Llinàs’ portraits can be understood in this way. The Picassoesque reminiscences in his paintings become evident at first glance, but if we take a moment to look deeper, we can see beyond. The pale tones of his subjects’ skin, the thick black lines that intensify the expressiveness of the figures, the contrast between the greyish, monochrome complexion and the vibrant color that dominates the background… Compta Llinàs’ characters are fragile, frustrated, pained, sorrowful beings who at times verge on the pathetic. This is what the painter wants us to see, because it is what truly lies behind these figures. They are the manifestation of the most intimate side of their soul, the part they show to no one—not even to those closest to them. Compta Llinàs possesses the ability to break through the mental barriers between himself and the portrayed subject, revealing that melancholic facet of his protagonists. He isolates and removes color from the figures, quite literally. He displays emotion without filters. It is this honesty in the expression of his characters that allows his discourse to unfold. His work offers us the opportunity to lower our defenses and welcome with open arms the artist’s reflections, doubts, and hopes—always with the intention of contemplating and making peace with our own inner demons. Pablo Santirso García Bachelor of Art History, Autonomous University of Barcelona