Tomba L’Acrimata 2014

Roberto Ferri made Tomba L’Acrimata, using oil paint to capture the drama of light and shadow on the human form. Look at the way he's built up the surface, layer upon layer, to give the skin that pearly glow against the deep, velvety black. I can imagine Ferri in his studio, totally absorbed, carefully blending each tone to evoke both vulnerability and strength. See how the red fabric drapes, almost like spilled blood, yet the white cloth offers a sense of purity and release? The tension is palpable! The way the figure shields her face, but also displays her body, reminds me of Caravaggio but also contemporary concerns around image-making and the gaze. It's like Ferri is having a conversation with the old masters while speaking to the here and now. That hand, frozen in a gesture of defense, also invites us to look closer. It’s a beautiful dance between concealment and revelation, isn't it?