Arte
Arte
Born in 1888 , Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico had some rather unique and incredibly pertinent perspectives on isolation . As a young man , his style took an interesting trajectory , until he settled on a novel blend between Surrealism and Cubism . Whilst many of us might associate the surrealist movement with the whacky , fantastical landscapes of Salvador Dalì , De Chirico ’ s paintings have a sense of starkness about them ; simultaneously brutalist and peaceful . One piece entitled Piazza d ’ Italia con Piedistallo Vuoto ( 1950 ) captures a sense of lifelessness that seems out-of-sorts with how we might ordinarily imagine an Italian piazza , ( that is , before the pandemic ). De Chirico transforms what would normally be a social hub , a meeting place , into an empty space where even the statue is missing from its plinth . It is , perhaps , scarily ironic that this ‘ surrealist ’ painting has turned into today ’ s reality , more-or-less .
However , the message that de Chirico ’ s work presents us with is certainly not clear-cut . Whilst there are a number of dystopian , almost apocalyptic eminences in this scene , there are a few subtle symbols of hope . The gentle flickering of the flags above the municipio , the soft , white curves of the Classical structures in the foreground and a certain calmness that is suggested , as if de Chirico has perfectly captured this piazza in a moment unconstrained by time or by people .
With the hindsight we have acquired after experiencing isolation for ourselves , we might relate somewhat to the pattern that can be seen in de Chirico ’ s work . The fluctuations between loneliness , hopefulness , foreboding and serenity that are encompassed even in this single painting are profoundly reminiscent of the solitude that has become our normality . Perhaps today we can take an encouraging reminder from de Chirico ’ s work : that our own locked-down reality , although incredibly tedious , can also be the source of much-needed solace and respite , both for ourselves and for the world around us .
Jess Knollys