DELIRIOUS MASKS 2019

Sergio Mario Illuminato created ‘Delirious Masks’ with mixed media on canvas. Its play of surface and depth presents us with a layered meditation on the nature of identity. Painted in Italy, this work evokes a sense of cultural memory and the weight of history. The masks, embedded in the canvas, point to the ways in which identities are constructed and performed. What does it mean to wear a mask? The mirror at the top becomes a focal point. What does it reflect? Is it a symbol of self-awareness or illusion? This might prompt questions about the artist's role in shaping meaning and our own role as viewers in interpreting it. To understand this painting better, we can look to Illuminato’s other works and the context in which it was produced. What social or political forces might be at play? What artistic conventions is he challenging? These are just some of the questions art historians explore.