Detail 2015

This work from 2015 by Saul Zanolari looks like a digital painting, a contemporary take on something classic. The color palette is muted, almost fleshy, with a strange blend of softness and hyperrealism. I'm drawn to how the bodies are rendered - they're in such a state of tension and contortion. Take that figure in the middle ground, she’s splayed out against a tree trunk, there’s a contrast between the smooth skin and the rough texture of the bark. It’s almost like the artist is playing with the idea of figures being sculpted or emerging from the landscape. This piece makes me think about the way artists like Francis Bacon played with the figure and the body. Like Bacon, there’s a sense of unease and disruption to the way we think about the human form and its relationship to the world. It’s the kind of piece that keeps you looking, keeps you guessing.