My work “R.I.P” (Rest In Pool) consists of a series of paintings. The starting material is a collection of images from movies, commercials, magazines, the internet and my personal archive. The need to view natural landscapes away from the urban noise is transferred to the white canvas, making the paintings act as an escape mechanism. Thanks to the various qualities of oil painting (layering, transparency, volume), imaginary landscapes are created. These landscapes sometimes depict natural or man-made utopias and other times depict dark dystopian places.

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The subject is being enriched through the painting process. The water symbolises the fountain of life or a mirror. The wild nature with its vast vegetation creates a feeling of exoticism. Some signs of civilization (pools and fireplaces) act as a metaphor for human interference. Man is present (despite his absence) via the architectural interventions and the disastrous blaze that seems to be out of control.

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The framing has been chosen as it would be in cinematography. Wide-angle shots capture the mansion’s exterior and the jungle. Close-ups capture details like the pool tiles or the reflections on the water. Some landscapes are painted in a bright and vivid palette while others are painted with faded and limited colors, causing different emotions on each occasion.

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The narrative begins with pictures of exotic landscapes which are afterwards presented as dark and bleak. Some burning palm trees announce the epilogue to the series, urging the viewer to wonder if the depicted landscape is on fire or if it just lies behind an idyllic sunset.

The house owner does not appear anywhere. The viewers are also outside of the scene, displaced from the landscape. The “final cut” of these fragmented pictures is performed by the viewer through their personal perceptions and experiences.