Lying serves as a garden, in which we can take refuge
and hide from our profound fears, the most primal being the fear of death. This
instinct to seek comfort is not only present in individuals but extends to
cultures and civilizations. We numb our primal fears through rituals, objects,
and myths, distancing ourselves from the fragile nature of our existence. But
we must ask ourselves—what is the cost of this separation from our own
mortality?
Nițu explores this question through a
cinematic approach to oil painting. Oil painting, a manipulative tool as old as
civilization, has long been used to distort reality and shape culture, telling
the lies that have molded human identity. The cinematic framing of his images
evokes the advent of film, a medium even more adept at telling lies. Through
this combination, Nițu plays with clichés
and romanticism, questioning the comfort we seek and what it truly conceals—our
fear of mortality.
Thomas Hibbert
