Art Review

Her depictions of individuals in settings that seem both out of time and of this moment represent one of many engaging paradoxes.

Nicola Florimbi, "Art Class" (2026), acrylic on canvas (all photos courtesy Corbett vs. Dempsey)

CHICAGO — In our media-saturated world, in which everything has been seen and done, leaving us in a perpetual déjà vu state of witty citations, exhumed tropes, or dazzling fabrications, it’s rare to be surprised by an artist’s debut exhibition. There are many reasons why I was instantly taken by the acrylic paintings in Nicola Florimbi’s Rooms at Corbett vs. Dempsey. The first was the absence of irony in her subject matter — depictions of individuals interacting in settings that seem both out of time and of this moment. This is one of the many engaging paradoxes of Florimbi’s work. 

There are 10 paintings, all of them singular, which is already an accomplishment. Their settings are constructed of multiple rooms that establish a receding space. They can go straight back or at an angle, with a window and door seen at the far end. The tension between the bright outside and the darker interior setting is integral to the drama we see taking place before us — figures in a silent play. As in a play, every action and object contributes to the narrative. She recreates well-known works hanging on the walls, further complicating her dramas with allusions to other artists, including Balthus, Giorgio Morandi, Edward Hopper, Gustave Courbet, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mary Heilmann, and JMW Turner.

• Art Review
• Review
• Nicola Florimbi
• Corbett vs. Dempsey
• Chicago