The mask of Innocence (2016)

Capturing a topic as subjective as an emotion or a state-of-mind can be an extremely complex task, but Virtosu achieves this feat with relative ease in this gorgeous piece titled “The Mask of Innocence”. The connotations directly associated with innocence is that of one’s adolescent years, just before the true realities of the world shatter any delusions one may possess. Nearly all living beings are born with a sense of innocence, and this phase is eventually taken away through either one instance or a series of situations. This is why the artist refers to this stage as a “mask”, as it is not real and it is eventually lifted to reveal one's true self. The painting itself is composed in a brilliant manner, featuring a background that is noisy, busy, and loud in its choice of colors and textures. This is done purposefully by the artist in order to depict the various societal elements waiting to remove the mask of innocence from an individual’s personality. These seemingly conflicting and contradictory elements are essentially at war with the mask, bearing the harsh realities of the world, and waiting to unload these on a young soul who is unburdened by the truth. The central figure of the piece appears almost remarkably calm and pure in comparison amidst all the turmoil, unaware of the situation developing around it. This particular piece is a tribute by Virtosu to those wonder years in every person’s life where they are untouched by the nature of the world and they are free to dawn the mask with a sense of ignorance that is almost blissful.