José Rodeiro 3.1.9. Tortoise, 4’ x 6,’ oil-on-linen, 1997.
3. 1. 9 Tortoise implies a pun on the word: hair (hare), alluding to a fable by the Greek slave Aesop, which characterizes existence as a race. Moreover, the painting describes the aftermath of the postmodern new-wave’s (la movida’s) birth, by referencing Rodeiro’s image entitled The Birth of Jordi Movid. In 3.1.9. Tortoise, Rodeiro evokes a bright yet barren world of fierce rivalry and striving - where Space Shuttle disasters are transformed into fashionable hairstyles.