My heart is empty like a mirror - Odessa Episode 2020

Gian Maria Tosatti created "My heart is empty like a mirror - Odessa Episode" to evoke a sense of stark emptiness. The composition is dominated by a monochromatic palette, emphasizing the bleakness of the landscape. The geometry of the lampposts creates a rhythm which punctuates the scene, but offers little warmth, leading the eye into the desolate distance. The smooth water reflects the sky like a mirror, blurring the distinction between earth and sky. This undermines our perception of space, and challenges fixed ideas about spatial orientation. Within a semiotic framework, the title, combined with the desolate scene, can be interpreted as a signifier of emotional vacancy and alienation. The structural elements of the artwork —the repetitive vertical lines and the muted color range—function to destabilize any sense of hope or comfort. As a result, the artwork exists not just as an aesthetic object, but as a profound commentary on the human condition.