Bridal Chamber, The Encounter

In this artwork, I translate the spatial intimacy of Andrea Mantegna’s Renaissance frescoes at the Palazzo Ducale into a highly abstract vocabulary. Working in acrylic and oil on linen, I dissolve figuration into a dynamic composition of sweeping blue arcs, warm ochres, and calligraphic linear marks. This visual language is deeply rooted in cultural memory, drawing from decades of living and working in Italy—my ancestral and creative second home. By reducing historical narratives to core elements of color and gesture, the layered surface retains the relational depth of its source material to generate a palpable, visceral connection without relying on recognizable form. Ultimately, this work merges with a profound sense of place, a mix of conscious and unconscious memories.