Brothers in struggle (2016)

Every relationship is burdened with its own set of complexities, but few jousts can be as rousing as two brothers locked in rivalry. Virtosu attempts to narrow his focus on a singular conflict between blood relatives, and the result is a gorgeous and complex piece, soaked in equal parts of passion and distain. The word “struggle” has been purposefully placed in the title in order to highlight the literal nature of the conflict that is being depicted on canvas.

This is evidenced by the maroon marks intended as blood stains casually placed around the central entity, as well as in crucial points within the piece itself. The artist has not left the nature of the conflict to our imagination, but has instead chosen to create a visceral representation of the feud in this brutal piece. The choice of selecting two dominant tones within the center of the piece is intentionally done in order to create a distinguishing line between the brothers themselves. The heated nature of the conflict may have seemingly melded the siblings into one entity, but there is no mistake that they are individuals, fighting for their own voice and stake. The background takes a backseat to action intended to occur at the center of the ring, the choice of blues and greys indicating that the struggle is unfolding on a perfectly pleasant day.

The artist is effortlessly able to draw our attention to the nature of sibling rivalry, the cost of maintaining relationships, and to the passion brewing within each conflict with a loved one in this effervescent piece.