Rossella BLUE: 'The Triptych+2+5'

I have been deeply influenced by Francis Bacon’s use of the triptych as a vital, contemporary form of expression. While we often associate the triptych with medieval religious art, Bacon proved that it remains a powerful medium in modern painting. Dividing a subject across three panels creates a fundamentally different experience than painting on a single canvas; it invites viewers to engage more deeply as they trace the narrative and relationship between figures from one panel to the next.

Because painting is inherently a spiritual practice, it remains uniquely suited to these traditional multi-panel formats. But why stop at three? After completing the triptych, I expanded into a pentaptych (five panels) and a diptych (two panels). Together, these formats bridge the past and present—connecting the profane with the sacred.

This triptych is entitled To Paradise and Back.

A couple of things defining my art: all of my figures are masked. At times, a figure may feature a painted face, but to me, that is simply another layer of masking. Furthermore, I almost exclusively paint isolated figures—one or two at most. I am simply not drawn to group compositions.

Because of this, the triptych format became the perfect solution. It allows me to bring three figures together in a single narrative while giving each their own distinct panel.

(And by the way: good luck finding happiness in paradise.)

This diptych is entitled The Gate Keepers.

Unlike traditional multi-panel works, these two panels are not meant to hang side by side. Instead, they are designed to frame an opening—installed on either side of an entrance, doorway, or passageway.

In terms of palette, I limit myself to just a few colors per painting: two or three at most, plus titanium white. While black has been absent from my work over the last few years, it will be making a comeback in my next series.

There is very little one can control about life, but I can certainly control who enters my paintings—and the gate keepers will make sure of that.

This pentaptych is entitled The Gaze.

I initially approached it as a triptych, but later expanded the composition by adding a panel on the left and another on the right. For a multi-panel work like a triptych or pentaptych to succeed, each panel must seamlessly flow into the next—a role typically played by a continuous background.

Here, however, there was no space for background continuity, so I designed horizontal lines, or bars, that run directly through the figures to unify the piece. But if you view them as bars, it raises a question: Are the figures trapped in a cage, or are we the ones looking out from inside a box?