Ekphrasis

John Varriano has a fascination with capturing the subtle emotions of his subjects. Portrayed here is a head waiter who is employed at a high-end, internationally well-known restaurant located in mid-town Manhattan. He is no longer working. His shift is over and it is late. While waiting for a cocktail that his bartender friend is preparing for him, he muses on the work of the evening.  He masterfully handled his wealthy patrons and earned a large sum of money. He bears upon his face a grin of self-satisfaction.

Although he arrived in New York from Naples Italy decades ago and has full command of the English language, Giuseppe nonetheless enjoys exaggerating his Italian accent. His broken English is spoken in rhythmically lyrical patterns that bring a smile to those who interact with

him. He likes playing the role of an amicable bumbler, who somehow always performs his job to perfection. He is in fact, a kind of ‘Inspector Clouseau’ of waiters.

His body language shows some exhaustion as he slumps on the bar stool and supports his head with his hand while propping his elbow on the bar. Although, his self-contentment far outweighs his fatigue.

If you feel like you know this man, it is because Varriano is a visual storyteller par excellence. The Artist has applied the paint with thick, luscious, strokes than dance over the forms. The subject’s right hand resting on his thigh is a wonderful example of this technique.