In addition to presenting a visually intriguing and thought provoking display of geometric patterns and unbalanced designs, Nicholas Carbonaro’s art provided a message about the beauty of imperfection that is much needed in society today. The collection I most enjoyed is “People on the Subway.” It consisted of several portraits of vastly different looking individuals, and these portraits were strung together and hung side-by-side, spanning much of the exhibit wall. Each person of the subway was created from a different combination of arrangements of spirals, patterns of triangles, collections of dots, and sequences of lines. The different combinations of these geometric patterns conveyed the personality of each individual. Following each detail of the portrait and reflecting on how these details combined and interacted created an experience similar to sitting on the subway and looking at the different characters with which you are surrounded. Similar to how people often pass the time on the subway by looking at others around them and thinking about what personality characteristics they have, what their biggest flaw might be, what their occupation is, and so on, “People on the Subway” prompted the onlooker to consider what was unique about each depicted “rider.”

Also, Carbonaro dynamically uses asymmetry and imbalance in his paintings, and this artistic device shows that difference and imperfection are beautiful and interesting. Perhaps more importantly, Carbonaro’s art shows that this imperfection is a universal human truth. Everyone is imperfect and asymmetrical in some respect. In a world where beauty standards create the perception that beauty requires a nearly unattainable combination of physical features, this art communicates that there are countless combinations of physical features, all of which represent a different form of beauty. In celebrating this difference, Carbonaro’s art encourages viewers to find beauty in all things. I also must note that Carbonaro’s dedication to his work and passion for creativity is inspiring. At a difficult time of the semester, his reminder to find creativity in everything was much needed.