GROUNDZERO 2019

Editor: Right now, we're standing in front of "GROUNDZERO," a 2019 piece by Sergio Mario Illuminato. It's an oil and impasto matter-painting and... Wow, it’s heavy. Both literally, with all that thick paint, and emotionally. That dominant red... it's intense, isn't it? What do you see when you look at it? Curator: It speaks to me of primal landscapes and internal turmoil. I think Illuminato captures something truly raw here, like gazing into the earth's core. This work vibrates with a kind of pre-historical weight, doesn’t it? The central golden form appears almost like a wound, struggling to heal against a backdrop of, as you said, intense, raw, primal, earthy energy. Do you see the impasto, the way the paint almost claws at the surface? Editor: Yes! The texture is so aggressive. And the gold is such a contrast, both visually and texturally—almost too opulent against that harshness. Do you think it's meant to be a symbol of hope, or is that too simplistic? Curator: Simplistic maybe, but the tension between the "wound" of red and potential "healing" of the gold is the true magic in my eyes! Is the gold an attempt at repair or simply a scar marking what was? It is very thought-provoking work! Editor: That's a fascinating point. It definitely adds a layer of complexity to how I see it. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: It is, isn’t it? I’ve always found that great art doesn't offer answers, it offers… possibilities.