OPTICAL PERCEPTIONS QUES 2020

Sergio Mario Illuminato made this painting, Optical Perceptions Ques, using a variety of techniques to build up a textured surface. There is a real sense of process here. You can imagine him layering the paint, almost sculpting the surface, with marks that feel both deliberate and spontaneous. The materiality of this work is really striking; the contrast between the figure in the foreground and the abstract background creates a fascinating tension. The figure is rendered in a simple, almost childlike way, while the background is a riot of texture and color. Look at the way the blues and whites blend and separate, creating a sense of depth and movement. The paint is applied in layers, with some areas thick and opaque, others thin and transparent. It gives the impression of looking through a frosted window or a waterfall. The little dabs of orange in the upper reaches of the waterfall are intriguing and uplifting. This painting reminds me a little of early Howard Hodgkin, another artist who embraced ambiguity and multiple interpretations. It's a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time.