Mateo Nicolucci

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled to see the bigger picture. I often find myself peering too closely, unable to put down my magnifying glass, and stop analyzing every small, intricate detail. A metaphor I’ve grown fond of to describe this tendency is that of a museum visitor examining a Monet painting. Claude Monet, regarded as the founder of Impressionist painting, focused more on mark-making than creating realistic representations. Up close, many of his paintings cannot be deciphered, only becoming recognizable when viewed from a distance. Similarly, this portfolio represents my attempt to reconcile my challenge of seeing beyond the details while using my strengths to explore broader concepts.

In this collection of work, I utilize microscopic images of bacteria to pose questions about larger themes within the human experience. Every bacteria, disease, condition, or virus has a story to tell, one that isn’t immediately apparent on the surface. By delving deeper into these biological afflictions, I’ve uncovered profound connections between these microscopic forces and the paradoxes and complexities of human relationships, both intra and interpersonal.

However, this exploration is not just a study of the human experience, but an examination of myself. Through creating these paintings, I’ve finally learned to step back. I’m no longer fixated on the small, insignificant details that once consumed me, trying to squeeze meaning from every fragment of my life. Like the diseases I’ve depicted, their real significance isn’t their intricacies alone. The invisible connections, the threads that link these microscopic forces to the broader human condition, give them true significance.