Friends (2026) Original Oil Painting by Marco Modiano

This artwork explores the friction between the public persona and private desire, using the architectural boundary of a diner counter to split a single moment into two distinct emotional worlds.
The figures above the counter embody the performance of social life. They are engaged in conventional chatter, laughter, and eye contact. Their interactions are mediated by objects of consumption—mugs, bottles, and outerwear.
Beneath the counter, the couple sheds the need for social performance. Stripped of the superficial layers of public decorum, their physical closeness on the cold floor highlights an urgent, raw need for authentic intimacy.

Materials used:

Oil

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 100 x 80 x 3cm (unframed) / 100 x 80cm (actual image size)
• Ready to hang
• Signed certificate of authenticity
• Style: Expressive and gestural
• Subject: People and portraits