In Stefano De Paolis’s drawings, a delicate and pale light defines subtly suggested yet highly precise spaces. His practice mainly revolves around drawing, through which he brings to life on paper imagery connected to his personal experiences. Stefano’s work is nourished by what he reads, watches, and listens to; the sci-fi culture and the aesthetic of 80s robot anime, where spaceships embark on intergalactic journeys, piloted by sleek commanders in aerodynamic suits.

In his latest series, exhibited at Spazio MenoUno in Treviglio, he continues to explore the idea of the Saturnian artist. He revisits Thonet, the pilot, a subject he has previously explored, now represented on a larger scale and engaged in a different activity. This time, Thonet is at rest, captured in a moment of intimacy. The iconic chair serves as his broad seat, allowing him to adopt an elegant posture. He resembles a rock star gazing into the camera with conflicted and subtly melancholic eyes, suspended in the aftermath of a phone call that has just ended or perhaps never happened.

“5 o’clock” is the piece that, like the title track of an album, gives the exhibition its name. Through a simulation of reflections, the pendulum clock becomes a representational device that projects an imaginary space—the hypothetical room where the pilot is experiencing the phone call moment. The addition of a cherry wood frame acts as a less neutral element compared to paper and aluminum, grounding the work in a more tangible reality.

“Dorothy” presents an outward vision. It depicts a motion outward where the light, originating from a circular form, gradually fades into total darkness. The small-format print, positioned at the end of the exhibition path, reveals the exterior of a house for the first time, offering a complete view. “Dorothy” is an evocative space of tranquility that concludes the narrative.