"OFFLINE” is a collection of paintings that delves deeply into the frustrations and uncertainties of our modern day world. At the center of each painting, there is a familiar symbol we know all too well: the loading circle we see when something is downloading. Sometimes this circle completes quickly, resolving our impatience, but other times it keeps spinning, leaving us hanging and frustrated because our task or download remains unfinished.
Another key feature of these paintings is the blurring of people's faces. This blurring creates a sense of distance and anonymity, much like the ever-spinning circle makes us feel disconnected and incomplete. Surprisingly, despite themes of frustration and incompleteness, the paintings are filled with vibrant colors that usually represent energy and happiness. This contrast confuses us: the bright colors suggest life and excitement, but the incomplete circle and blurred faces make us feel stuck and disconnected. It makes us question our feelings towards our digital lives: are we truly happy, or are we just trapped in an endless cycle of waiting to feel complete?
On June 20th, World Refugee Day, Galleria Bugno will feature Rex and Edna in a solo exhibition where they will present a new series of works that is part of the “OFFLINE” series of paintings.
"OFFLINE: Floating in between a nightmare and a dream."
In this series, they invite the viewer to reflect on the issues experienced by “refugee models” recruited from refugee camps by modeling agencies to participate in fashion weeks, with unfair contracts and treatment for them, also being victims of a form of human trafficking normalized in the fashion and modeling industry.