Original artwork description:

CIGARETTE PORTRAIT no.19 - Mixed Technique on canvas cm.75x100 - year 2021
I was inspired by a woman smoking, and the sensual attitude that only a woman knows or can assume. The ‘cigarette portrait’ of photographic memory from the past, drives me to seek out unusual poses of female smokers, as I will show later.
The portrait itself, it fascinates me, the enigmatic and mysterious image, one's own identity, which in many is equivocal, counterfeit. In fact, the faces portrayed show thoughtful expressions some, absent others, fascinating, caught up in the common need to ‘be such’ and not ‘have to appear’. The search for one's identity, which drives one to true self-knowledge, and the realisation that everything in life is appearance.
In my work, I try to merge the figurative with surrealism, playing with strong contrasts and bold shapes. The image portrays a woman immersed in a moment of deep introspection, the smoke from her cigarette blending with geometric abstractions representing her complex emotions. This work is not just a portrait, but a journey into the human soul, challenging the viewer to explore beyond the visible. The vivid shades of blue and red on a light background, insufflate energy and mystery, adding a vibrant and deeply emotional touch to any setting.
In this work, a sensual female portrait, fresh and full of symbols: the triangle, to symbolise perfection, a blue semicircle for intellect, red, for passion, the triqueta, which associated with the number three, is considered a sacred number. And these portraits are almost never mere portraits, but archetypes of contemporary femininity. Through which to express one's philosophy of life. Authentic work executed by me in a single copy.

Materials used:

enamel and varnish on canvas

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