Nicolas Africano

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Chicago artist Nicolas Africano's work during the 1980's connects powerful, often singular, figures in dramatic compositions. These figures often appear isolated and confused, powerfully accentuated by monotone backgrounds and modeling the characters three dimensionally on the canvas. The viewer is compelled to look at the figure with no distraction from the background.

Africano's connection between the subjects in his paintings and themes from literature, music and theater illustrates the universality of isolation, abuse and interpersonal conflict. Jekyll/Hyde: The Mixture reveals the conflict within the character of the fictional story of the doctor experimenting on himself only to find estrangement where he sought knowledge. Indeed, the artist reveals the hidden character in the shadow to the right of the antagonist.

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