Poolside 

Joseph Lorusso created 'Poolside,' presenting a figure in repose against an ambiguous backdrop. The painting's immediate impact comes from its rendering of light and colour. Predominantly warm tones wash over the scene, casting a hazy, dreamlike quality, yet there is a strong sense of realism. Lorusso plays with the semiotics of leisure, using commonplace objects like sunglasses and a cocktail to evoke associations of relaxation and affluence. The reclining figure becomes a signifier for the artifice of leisure. The painting's structure, with the figure placed horizontally and the backdrop lacking depth, challenges traditional perspective, collapsing the foreground and background. This flattening effect draws attention to the surface of the painting itself, reminding us of the constructed nature of the image. Ultimately, 'Poolside' uses formal qualities to create a narrative about leisure and representation, inviting the viewer to question the values and cultural codes embedded within. The work acts as a mirror, reflecting our own desires and assumptions back at us.