[...] Torreano’s columns asserted illusional space by extending his painting away from the wall while remaining attached to it, and by doing so, they disrupted abstract painting’s emphasis on a flat, expansive picture plane. Projecting painting into the realm of sculpture, these works were also encrusted with gems that could be seen for what they were, physical, decorative points as well as metaphors for stars in deep space; but they could not be taken in all at once: their reflections and facets changed and shifted as the viewer’s eyes scanned as they moved around the works. [...]- Terrie Sulton
Both columns and paintings utilize his signature acrylic gems. These add an alluring layer to the work by creating constellations of glistening points that interact with the viewer’s movement. Like the columns, the paintings challenge hierarchical perspectives, allowing for a democratic viewing experience where each angle offers a new facet of the artwork.
Inspired by his fascination with the complexities of the cosmos, Torreano’s “sculptural" paintings invite viewers to "look in space" and to "look at" the object. The bulging edge of the canvases enhance their physicality pushing the artwork outward into the gallery, creating an immediate and tangible presence. In contrast, each gem reflects light in a way that shifts and adapts, reminding the viewer of their unique place within the gallery space.
With Torreano's work, meaning is not fixed or contained in the object; rather it emerges through the personal experience of each observer. The artist presents the work as an open system, a dialogue between the art object, the environment and the viewer. The viewer becomes the author. As they move in relation to these dynamic surfaces, their perspectives integrate, inviting them to see and thus feel their way through Torreano’s vibrant universe.
