Fire has followed Italian artist Luca Ponsato from one collection to the next, but it rarely means the same thing twice. In some scenes the flames read as desire or rage. In others they hint at grief, renewal, or a small, stubborn spark of hope. Ponsato never settles on a single interpretation, so each piece can mean something different depending on who’s looking at it.
Many of his compositions place solitary figures in quiet, dreamlike settings that feel familiar and slightly off at the same time. His influences range widely, from psychology and philosophy to film and literature. Still, the images don’t come across as lessons in theory. They’re closer to fragments of a half-remembered dream.
Scroll down to see his latest pieces, and notice which of these fires you’ve felt yourself.
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#1 Setting Myself On Fire To Keep Them Warm
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#2 The Rest Find Peace At Night
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#3 As It All Comes Crashing Down
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#4 Avoidance
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#5 Jammed
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#6 No Offers To Help
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#7 What Will They Think
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#8 A Curious Case
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#9 Going Down With The Ship
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#10 Searching For Answers
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#11 Cleaning Up The Mess I Made
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#12 Getting Out Of Here
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#13 Separation Anxiety
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#14 The Confines Of Pain
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#15 It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#16 I Can’t Sleep
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#17 Decompressing
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#18 Throughout The Day
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#19 My Anxiety Is Never Too Far Away
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#20 Reminders Of Us
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#21 The Early Signs
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#22 Imperfect, But Ours
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#23 Strip Away The Facade
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#24 Giving In
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#25 Overreaction
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#26 After You Left
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#27 Comfort And Confrontation
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#28 In The Opposite Direction
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#29 Neglect
© Photo: Luca Ponsato
#30 The Only Way Is Up
© Photo: Luca Ponsato