OZY

Born in 1998 in Southern Italy, OZY is a contemporary artist currently based in Matera, a city the artist describes as rich in 'history and melancholic beauty' where the 'noisy silence' of streets resonates with prehistoric echoes. Working at the intersection of dark surrealism and expressionism, OZY utilizes art as a medium to 'suspend reality, synthesize space and time,' offering perceptual complexity that provokes reflection and forges an 'intimate and direct connection with the viewer.'

OZY portrays what the artist terms a 'daily and romantic darkness,' emphasizing the brutal side of introspective thought that resides within the human soul. Subjects are depicted in a state of 'stasis,' a 'trance-like condition,' with gazes 'always directed at the viewer' to establish the most direct connection possible, leading toward 'inevitable self-reflection.' The artist's primary aim is to 'transform inner chaos into beauty,' raising awareness of dark thoughts hidden within us and entering into 'symbiosis' with them, assimilating them to draw strength until reaching 'inner light.'

The visual vocabulary operates through precise color symbolism: red evokes outwardly expressible emotions such as passion, vulnerability, anger, and hatred; black delves into visceral, hidden states; blue represents loneliness, sadness, and melancholy; while white signifies reconnection with inner light. Dense vegetation frequently envelops subjects, representing the 'confusing and fascinating human experience,' while central compositional placement inspired by humanism emphasizes the human being as 'the sole architect of their own life.' Cats appear as the 'essence of everything,' the soul made real.

OZY's technique evolved from bold, nervous brushstrokes influenced by Jean-Michel Basquiat and K.J.M. toward three-dimensional materiality featuring 'pronounced crusts of color, engravings, and scratches,' conveying meaning through the surface itself. The artist strives 'not to impose any stylistic limits,' aiming instead to be 'as free as possible' to develop a completely unique and recognizable style.