Brotó is an acrylic and oil painting that explores ideals of feminine beauty, representations of the nude female body, fetishisation and exoticisation. The grotesque and monstrous is also hinted at by the oversized alien-looking hand and the protruding ribcage reminiscent of a carcass. The vibrant colours pop in the dimness of the jungle clearing, like the strange growth on her armpit that she curiously examines. Is this alien or part of her?

Brotó is a Spanish word that means ‘it sprouted’, a sudden growth (arise, emerge, appear). The initial drawings for this image led to the relief print Erogenous Growth pictured further below. The painting is stretched over a thick wooden frame, and the wide sides have been painted in bright cold red.

Brotó measures 63.5X88.5cm.