The new works of art in the dining hall are striking for numerous reasons: the immense detail, contrast in colour and interesting subjects. Last Wednesday, I was fortunate to meet artist, Nicholas Carbonaro.

The event provided an opportunity to view the art without the usual bustle of the dining hall. Up till the event, there were two pieces that usually caught my attention: the one of the cat (With two different sized eyes) and the other of a man (the artist, it’s a self portrait) with a cat. However, during the event, I was drawn to a painting, Silhouettes, at the edge of the entire exhibition.

Like the name suggests, the painting consisted of a group of silhouettes, each of a different colour. While the other pieces were more detailed and bold, Silhouettes was more abstract and soft. The edges in the painting were gentle, and the colours were not in violent contrast with each other. Overall, I found it to be the most unique piece in the entire collection.

Later, I got an opportunity to speak to Mr. Carbonaro about Silhouettes. I learnt that Silhouettes was an early work of his, which was also the reason it was so different. Moreover, the painting was meant to represent group dynamics, which was added greater meaning to the piece.

With careful observation, one could notice that the two figures in the center of the group appear to be to in close contact, almost joined together. Around them, there are a bunch of figures that are trying to ‘fit in’ with the duo, some more successful than the others. For example, there is a figure that is next to the group but blends in with the background (Since that particular silhouette and the background share similar colours). This could be representative of how individuals may feel left out, despite being ‘a part of a group’. Another figure appears to be reaching in from outside the frame to join the group, but appears to be unsuccessful. Like this, one could assign roles to each of the silhouettes, to make the painting representative of emotions attached to social interactions.

It’s interesting because one could identify with each of those roles at different points in life or during different interactions. Although that painting came from a personal experience, it was something that I could connect with and reflect upon. For me, this was the highlight of the evening. Although often overlooked, art is an important aspect of our lives because it provides insight and allows us to reflect upon collective experiences.