Berlin based artist Dario Puggioni paints in a style balancing the classical contemporary. Frequently depicting singular portraits or pairs of sitters, Puggioni’s figures seem to be a nod toward classical posing and chiaroscuro. However, there is a certain darkness, almost a hint of nihlism, peculiar to contemporary life that the images are filtered through. This interesting balance is found in the techniques he uses as well. For example, many of his paintings are characterized by painterliness that somehow seems to float somewhere between the canvas and the figure, not quite on the surface nor the subjects face. The technique is intriguing while further blending classical and modern painting styles.