Lying serves as a garden, in which we can take refuge and hide from our profound fears, the most primal being the fear of death. This instinct to seek comfort is not only present in individuals but extends to cultures and civilizations. We numb our primal fears through rituals, objects, and myths, distancing ourselves from the fragile nature of our existence. But we must ask ourselves—what is the cost of this separation from our own mortality?
Nițu explores this question through a cinematic approach to oil painting. Oil painting, a manipulative tool as old as civilization, has long been used to distort reality and shape culture, telling the lies that have molded human identity. The cinematic framing of his images evokes the advent of film, a medium even more adept at telling lies. Through this combination, Nițu plays with clichés and romanticism, questioning the comfort we seek and what it truly conceals—our fear of mortality.
Thomas Hibbert