Figure 

Editor: Right now, we’re looking at "Figure" by Afro, rendered with mixed-media, featuring acrylic paint and impasto on canvas. It's fiery, almost visceral in its bold use of reds against that stark white backdrop. I'm really curious – what initially grabs your attention about this particular work? Curator: It’s the push and pull, isn't it? That primal scream of red wrestling with the silent expanse of white. It whispers to me of internal dialogues, of passions held in check or perhaps just barely contained. And you can see the hand of the artist, that urgent, almost frenzied application of paint. Have you ever felt like that, just wanting to get it *all* out? Editor: Absolutely! That sense of urgency is definitely there. It reminds me a bit of early Abstract Expressionism. Do you see a connection to that movement in Afro’s work? Curator: You've nailed it! It’s got that Abstract Expressionist DNA – think de Kooning's ferocious energy but tempered with a distinctly Italian sensibility. There's a restraint here, a dance between chaos and control. Does the title “Figure” make you consider any kind of figure? I ask myself is that a figure screaming, praying, fighting… or even something else entirely? Editor: I can see that balance, it's like controlled chaos. I guess I had not looked at the painting in that context of finding the Figure in such strokes. Curator: See, there it is! The joy of art! New visions… new feelings. The best pieces invite that kind of ongoing conversation. What will you dream of tonight? Editor: This makes me consider painting something huge and just letting go! It has been amazing to reflect on this artwork and learn so much!