A Dream come true
Sergio always dreamed of capturing a complex theatrical scene in true vaudeville style, shot in an old mansion in Spain.
This dream came true when the IBEX Collection approached him with a proposal to make a Masterpiece. Sergio was given total creative freedom without time restraints or resource limits.
“The Portrait of Desire” is the result of this journey.
“I was torn between intense joy and fear because of the tremendous responsibility that it meant as an artist,” recalls Sergio.
“Over time I developed a cabaretesque aesthetic in my works and I had no doubt that these experiences would allow me to set a solid scene.
Yet, my ambition with this piece was very high and the technical challenges were great.”
2021, oil on canvas, 200 x 355 cm
Come in, Have a seat
Sergio being Sergio, he was constantly thinking and rethinking the meaning and role of each character and its significance compared to the others.
His requirements of visual consistency forced him to make many changes during the painting process, until the very end.
The result is a playful, cabaretesque scene that amusingly depicts dynamics and power imbalances in a group of characters that are, quite certainly unique. “I have to admit that sometimes I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete my Masterpiece.
Towards the end of those three-and-a-half years that I have been working on it, I had to gather all my power in front of the painting each morning before starting, otherwise my work would have crushed me.”
The process taught him to converse with the canvas, let it speak to him and allow himself to talk back to it through erasing and repainting.
It was a beautiful and exhausting period for Sergio, in which he managed to paint his best work ever.