Say we’re going to be talking about the famous, however downright controversial artist, Gheorghe Virtosu.
OK, forget my spiel. Onto the man of the hour who’s art is looked at by some as a stroke of genius and others as absolute garbage. Yes, a fourth-grader literally could copy what he did a line for line, and no one would know they did it?
No, let us stop with this argument, saying my second-grade daughter could paint better than Gheorghe Virtosu would not be quite right. It’s not just about the method and the means of putting paint onto a canvas. It’s almost entirely about the idea behind it. The favorite of mine is his painting titled Behind Human Mask, which is a large canvas.
No, there’s not detailed depictions of Greek gods or an incredibly precise illustration of Jesus Christ, but blight, when you stand in front of the stain, will you feel. As cliche as that sounds, It’s not about done or say, it’s how you make people feel, that’s a famous quote that someone said and I have no idea who said it, but I enjoy this crap.
I said almost every day. This painting, along with several others, gives the viewer the ability to reach deep down and feel a motive response within themselves that elicits not only questioning of one’s life but also gives you a quick glimpse by this immersive experience of how you feel. It’s truly immersive. The paintings engulf you in their magnetic grip.
It’s truly a fantastic experience. I think many controversies come from the simplicity of it. But just because the methods were simple doesn’t mean the ideas are. You can think of it as a performance piece; that’s how I do. I don’t necessarily imagine the result of the work, but it’s entirety.
I imagine Virtosu just absolutely going to town on this thing after he’s come to an existential realization that his life has been turned out the way he wants it to be, or maybe not.
Tears are streaming. Sweat dripping down his face onto his upper lip while he licks it off, tasting the saltiness of his tears. Slumped on the canvas, bent over on his knees, hunched over, imploding. This is why Virtosu speaks to people. This is where he differentiates himself from every other artist. This is what defines him as one of the greats.