There is perhaps no greater enterprise humanity undertakes than that of finding oneself.
Yet, as one finds oneself thrust into the unknown and unfamiliar, this very journey of self-fulfillment can, as it always has, come into tension with the equally compelling quest for belonging.
And so Vincent de Pio departs from his distinctive delicate palettes and coquettish compositional arrangements to explore the notion of belonging not only as a physical presence but also as a deep emotional and spiritual connection to one’s environment and oneself. Belonging reveals a willingness to unveil figures. Yet, as these individualized forms stand out, De Pio withholds a strong visual cohesion; a keen understanding of color and natural forms, and the deliberate use of space continue to be the artist’s signature, but here accentuate both a unique presence and its sense of belonging within its environment.
For the artist, embracing the challenge of change is essential. ‘Chasing horizons’, as he puts it, forging a path for oneself that is not always clear and complete, but can lead us to realize our own limitlessness. For this, De Pio turns to geometry embedded in the governing laws of nature. He uses this towards a greater understanding of the structure of colors and the movement of forms, and to see order in chaos; not limited by structures, he instead looks at all the ways such designs can be utilized, and maximized, to create patterns of one’s own. As his origami forms begin as a single, lifeless piece of paper, each finds a singular completeness through patience, precision, and personal expression. Every step is deliberate and, while the folds follow distinct, time-honored designs and directions, the folding process itself fosters the flexibility and openness required to embrace new perspectives and experiences, and reveal new dimensions. “It’s like looking inside a diamond,” he notes. “Your mind will make you think that you’re just looking through cut glass, a simplicity of transparent patterns. But if you look closer into the details you’ll see a thousand colors inside it and with each subtle movement, you will see those thousands of colors changing.”
Belonging is an invitation to contemplate the profundity of change. As the artist insists, the turbulence of such processes and progressions is overcome by a sense of spirited calmness found when the balance is struck between transformation and continuity. Just as this collection marks a bold departure from the familiar, De Pio proves that there is constancy even in change.
Text by Gabrielle Gonzales