Dora Ragusa

I'm fascinated by the differences between abstraction and figuration and by how these two characteristics draw an equilibrium on the canvas, representing, somehow, the rational and the irrational part of the human nature that coexist in each person.
As light and shadow chase each other, defining the features of a face, through the painting I try to follow them, until they lead me under the skin, to the deep humanity inside.
The majority of my paintings focus on the human figure, on portraits, especially.
I'm not so interested in creating a faithful portrait of the person, but in exposing the inner and personal feeling that I have for that one.
Sketches are not part of my creative process, I use photographs, mostly black and white, that I take myself. That allows me to work directly on the canvas, and change the printed image as I wish.
The photograph is the skin, the painting is the heart of the subject represented.
The colors that I choose to represent the subject are mostly dark, intense, primary and essential.
The use of dripping color, geometrical brush strokes and sometimes strokes of luck are part of the creating process.
All the works are painted oil on canvas.

EXHIBITIONS
2011 "Pelle e Cuore", Baylon Cafè, sol...

L.A.B.A, Master in Visual Arts, Florence, IT
Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, painting degree, Rome, IT
Facultad de Bellas Artes, Erasmus project, Madrid, Spain
CineTv "R.Rossellini", photography degree, Rome, IT
Stevenson College, Art and Photography, Edinburgh, UK

2020 "Nebulous", group exhibition, Studio Baustelle, Berlin (D)
2019 "100 under 100", silent auction, Studio Baustelle, Belin (D)
2019 "Gemeinsam Juntos", group exhibition, Pabellon Cuba, La Havana, Cuba
2019 "Transformart Fest", Open studio, Rathenau Hallen, Berlin (D)
2018 XTRO Ateliers, Open studio, Berlin (D)
2018 "48 Stunden Neukölln", Open studio, Berlin (D)
2018 "Mark", group exhibition, Brennabor Kunsthalle, Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany
2017 "Solo Total", group exhibition, August Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
2017 "48 Stunden Neukölln", open studios, Berlin, Germany
2013 "Femme Fraktale", group exhibition, New York Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
2012 "Il corpo delle donne", Volturno Occupato, Rome, Italy
2010 "Pura Natura", Cargo, Rome, Italy
2010 "Identità", Lab51, Rome, Italy
2009 "Riflessioni sulla identità", Istituto Culturale Ceco, Rome, Italy
2009 "Identità", D'A Spazio d'arte Gallery, group exhibition, Empoli, Italy