Patrizio di Massimo, Between Us

"The history of art is the history of a continuum regularly shattered by revolutionary innovation, which in turn soon becomes absorbed into the continuum, and so it goes throughout the centuries. This process is evident in the new exhibition of works by the London-based Italian painter Patrizio di Massimo, all created between 2021 and 2026."

"Works by di Massimo are interspersed with works from the permanent collection, but the intention is not to provide a lesson in art history rather to challenge the viewer to notice points of contact or contrast between images separated by a tumultuous century, thereby engaging with the dialogue between the works themselves."

"Patrizio di Massimo (b 1983) would be best described as a portraitist; so, at first sight, his neat, detailed images of carefully posed real people appear in glaring contrast to the uneasy images from the permanent collection which surround them (and indeed to more rebellious contemporary art production). And yet, the more you allow yourself to be dragged into their parallel worlds, the more you find points of contact."

The Esoterick Collection in North London presents 'Between Us,' an exhibition featuring works by London-based Italian painter Patrizio di Massimo created between 2021 and 2026. The exhibition functions as an intervention, interspersing di Massimo's contemporary portraits with pieces from the permanent collection spanning a century. Rather than providing historical context, the exhibition encourages viewers to identify points of contact and contrast between works separated by time. Di Massimo's detailed, carefully posed portraits of real people initially appear to contrast sharply with the Futurist works surrounding them, which celebrated technology, violence, and industrial life. However, deeper engagement reveals meaningful dialogue between the contemporary and historical pieces, demonstrating how artistic innovation becomes absorbed into broader artistic traditions.

Read at www.london-unattached.com