Deep Blue

Oil on board paper. Unframed 9"x11" / 23cm x 28cm

This painting by Cuban artist Maikel Benítez, unfolds as a quiet storm of emotion—raw, intimate, and deeply human. The male figure emerges from a dense, weathered surface, his face suspended between shadow and revelation, as though memory itself were pressing through layers of time. Ashen grays and muted blue tones permeate the composition, enveloping the figure in an atmosphere of introspection and emotional restraint. The scratched, eroded textures heighten a sense of self-conscious awareness, where resilience is shaped by contemplation rather than conflict. The overall feeling is one of suspended silence—a charged stillness in which self-determination, strength, and tenderness coexist, leaving the viewer with a lingering sense of quiet gravity and unspoken depth.