Il Risveglio O Sonno Di Rugiada II 2020

Curator: Roberto Ferri’s 2020 oil on canvas, "Il Risveglio O Sonno Di Rugiada II," immediately strikes me as unsettling. There’s a stillness, but also a palpable tension. Editor: Unsettling is right. The pale flesh tones against the flat, blue backdrop give it an almost ghostly feel. I’m interested in the neoclassical style mixed with that slightly surreal halo and the realistic figures; it certainly invites complex readings about its role in contemporary culture, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. Looking at the formal elements, note how Ferri utilizes chiaroscuro. The dramatic contrast between light and shadow sculpts the figures, lending them a sculptural, almost Baroque quality. Then, this odd choice for the golden halo brings a modernist interpretation to a scene out of mythology. Editor: Agreed. And this is very Ferri in terms of references. It pulls from history painting while embracing hyperrealism. This pushes boundaries but is a move that allows the work to comment on institutions that value either the historical styles or portraiture, no? Is it valid for him to create such imagery today? Is this the way that painting exists, as pastiche or as commentary? Curator: Consider the positioning of the two figures: they intertwine physically, yet the emotional distance seems vast. The composition, almost claustrophobic, funnels our eye towards the man’s downcast head, and our attention immediately is caught on the almost violent nature of his position; but he is safe. How fascinating. The circular forms suggested both by his stance and the beaded rosary really unify this pictorial scene. Editor: True. A symbol of entrapment? What is the place of ritual and religion here? In a hyper-sexualized society that also simultaneously promotes healthy practices like yoga or meditative routines, do these figures stand for both concepts? I’m still questioning Ferri's choices. This collision, both technically skilled and aesthetically questionable, continues to create so much buzz! Curator: Yes, regardless of those tensions that question the modern application of it all, one can recognize that Ferri’s mastery is truly worth the look, if not further historical investigation and intellectual labor to break it all down. Editor: Indeed. Thanks to a collision of form and narrative and by triggering conversations like these, Ferri ensures that classical form will endure for some time.