Patrizio di Massimo Italy, b. 1983

Video, photography and performance defined the early career of Patrizio di Massimo who since 2015 has devoted himself entirely to painting. Having developed a polished and sophisticated technique that nods to Renaissance art, Mannerism and late 19th century French painting, portraiture is now at the centre of the self-taught Italian artist’s practice. Typically casting himself, friends and family members as protagonists, Di Massimo creates intimate and voyeuristic compositions that show his subjects asleep or absorbed in private thoughts. This tender painting depicts the artist’s daughter and her mother lying on a rug, wearing pyjamas and surrounded by books. The vibrant colours, patterns and textures echo the child’s restless enthusiasm for learning: though it is bedtime, she remains wide awake, ready for another story while her mother sleeps. Such themes of domesticity and personal life typify Di Massimo’s recent works, which have focussed on parenthood, family and intimate relationships.