Hyperallergic reviews Nicola Florimbi's debut exhibition "Rooms" at Corbett vs. Dempsey in Chicago, featuring 10 acrylic paintings that depict individuals in ambiguous, theatrical interiors. The works reference Old Masters like Velázquez, Balthus, and Hopper, creating complex visual narratives that resist easy interpretation. Florimbi's figures—children and adults—interact in unsettling, stage-like settings that blend timelessness with contemporary unease.
The review matters because Florimbi's work stands apart from current art-world trends, embracing narrative ambiguity and painterly tradition without irony. Her ability to create scenes that feel both artificial and emotionally necessary marks a rare independence in contemporary painting. The exhibition signals the emergence of a distinctive voice willing to engage with art history on her own terms.