Duarte Vitória: The Chemistry at Walnut Contemporary

A human being’s capacity to emote extends beyond the effectiveness of speech and other direct forms of communication. The human body, with all its idiosyncratic gestures and mannerisms, possesses an uncanny ability to express what words cannot fully capture. Surfaces can be just as impactful as the thoughts and feelings that lie beneath them, an idea Duarte Vitória explores in his solo exhibition The Chemistry on view now at Walnut Contemporary. Throughout the exhibition, the artist utilizes the power of pantomime in order to create enigmatic images of eccentric and confrontational female figures.

Duarte Vitória, Black Ego, 2015, oil on linen, 67″ x 59″. Courtesy of Walnut Contemporary

Compositionally, Vitória’s nude subjects are confined to the strict rigidity of the canvas’s frame, contorting their poses to fit within the rectilinear support. Figures are often piled on top of one another with subtle differentiation between bodies, which further emphasizes the often-claustrophobic nature of the images on display. Their menacing physiognomies place the viewer in the position of an intrusive voyeur peeping into a private scenario, creating an uncomfortable relationship between spectator and subject. The tenseness in the figures’ limbs, evident in their forceful and exaggerated embrace of one another, underlines their displeasing countenances and creates a greater sense of unease within each painting.

Duarte Vitória, Revolution, 2014, oil on linen, 63″ x 79″. Courtesy of Walnut Contemporary

Duarte Vitória, Into the Dark, 2014, oil on linen, 73″ x 98″. Courtesy of Walnut Contemporary

The Chemistry also includes three portraits directly inspired by Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2009 collection. Vitória recreates the ominous air of the runway presentation, where models donned theatrically Romantic couture mixed with artful, yet ghastly makeup. The artist chooses to solely focus on the models’ bloodstained faces, injecting them with a frightening intensity resembling vengeful villainesses tinged with a psychological heft.

Duarte Vitória, Ambiguous, 2015, oil on linen, 79″ x 71″. Courtesy of Walnut Contemporary

Duarte Vitória, Absorption, 2015, oil on linen, 67″ x 51″. Courtesy of Walnut Contemporary

Vitória’s Expressionist technique animates his figures with his lively brushwork, giving an optical allure to these confrontational artworks. The intimate gallery setting allows the viewer to closely contemplate each painting as they become entangled in the puzzling melodrama within each scenario. Textual explanations need not apply to this collection of paintings, as the expressive visages and body language reveal more than words ever could.

David Saric

*Exhibition information: July 30 – August 29, 2015.  Walnut Contemporary Gallery, 201 Niagara Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed – Sat, 1 – 6 p.m.