“Standing Figure,” created by Nathan Oliveira in 1970, is an exemplary piece within the Neo-Expressionism art movement and falls under the figurative genre. The artwork illustrates a haunting and expressive depiction of a figure, foregrounding the emotional intensity typical of Neo-Expressionist works.
The artwork features a standing figure that is distinctly abstract in form, enveloped in a shroud of dark, muted colors that blend seamlessly into the gray and bleak background. The figure appears to wear a mask-like face, with one side colored in a darker hue, possibly representing a duality or contrast within the character of the figure. The loose, almost erratic brushwork conveys a raw, emotional energy, and the overlapping lines in red and other colors suggest movement and tension. The abstract nature of the figure, combined with the dim color palette, imparts an eerie and enigmatic quality to the piece, typical of Oliveira’s explorations of the human form and spirit.
