Ed Paschke
American, born 1939
Caliente
1985
Oil on canvas
203.2 x 254 cm
Gift of the Staff of The Art Institute of Chicago, 1986.92
© Ed Paschke

“Caliente” means “hot” in Spanish. What looks hot in this picture? Red is considered a “hot” color, and you may know the expression “red hot.” The man seems to squint his eyes and grit his teeth, as if he is trying to shield himself from the heat. Look at a close-up view to see the words written over the man’s left eye. Is it the brand name of his sunglasses? The artist Paschke often finds ideas for his paintings in advertisements he sees in magazines or on TV. But he changes these images in ways that draw our attention to them—for instance, making the colors brighter, or simplifying the shape.