Travestite (2017)

The art depicts one of Virtosu’s critical themes, specifically transgender issues. In the artwork, the painter is agitating for freedom, which has been a key inspiration for many of his paintings. Exceeding the confines of a vast canvas through its spectacular assault of unrestrained expression and brilliant color, Travestite from 2017 encapsulates the full force of Gheorghe Virtosu’s abstract vernacular.

Travestite by Gheorghe Virtosu employs rich color and motion to invoke passion. Virtosu uses an intensive and expressive combination of bright primary colors; yellow, blue, and red shades, with a dull black.

One of the noticeable uses of colors is that the main figure’s contact with the background is accentuated with black paint around it. The artist illustrates the detachment of transgender community from the rest of the society.

Importantly, Virtosu contrasts this feature with the use of bright colors in the figure itself. At the upper part, the painting has what resembles a head, with five brightly colored gem-like shapes. Jewelry represents beauty, which Virtosu applies to bold his message about the subject matter.

The artwork illustrates minimal movement and a chaotic environment through the use of background chaos. The Transvestite figure is fixed to a darker upper part, which limits the motion. Some of the lines and assorted shapes depict slight movement, creating a sense of restriction.

The centerpiece shows what seems like an abstract human head figure. It has small protrusions from either side, an indicator of minimal movement.

The brushwork is evident in the background colors, where the artist uses bright red with hints of blue, black, and yellow. The viewer gets the feeling that the painter is portraying tension in a society - with minimal acceptance of transgender community.