Colorful abstract pattern with overlapping shapes resembling building blocks.

deFlattening

Abstract silhouette of a person with flowing hair against a green background.
Embossed silhouette of a classical male statue, resembling Michelangelo's David, with detailed facial features and upper body depicted.
Abstract portrait with red hair and hands on beige background.
Abstract horse head silhouette with a red background
Abstract depiction of a space-themed character with green, white, and purple suit on a black background.
Abstract artwork of a person with green hair, red skin, and black sunglasses on a dark background.
Abstract portrait of a faceless person with a beard, wearing a yellow jacket and a necklace, set against a dark blue background.
Silhouette of a person holding a teddy bear
Two stylized blue hands holding beer bottles against a blue background.
Abstract artwork of a person wearing a white shirt and green pants against a yellow background, holding a red object, possibly an apple.
Abstract artwork of sunflowers in a vase on a green background.
Charizard Pokémon card art cutout on orange background

deFlattening explores the connection between the popular and the superficial. 

The series examines how trends, icons or mainstream culture, typically considered shallow by critics, can hold deeper meaning or value. It’s about questioning the boundary between what is dismissed as frivolous and what is culturally significant.

It starts simple. Reflecting the precision and brightness of digital screens, the paintings use bold, flat colours and iconic shapes as a scroll-stopper. Viewed up close, the works challenge first impressions. What initially seems perfectly digital, reveals handmade quirks, textures, and all the physical imperfections that make it real. 

Person with glasses leaning on a yellow surface with red design, pink background

Trained at Rome's Academy of Fine Arts with a background in commercial art, Rafael’s work reflects a journey that started in Romania, developed in Rome, and is now evolving in London.

A mix of influences, Rafael’s perspective is shaped by global mainstream culture rather than being tied to any one place.

The work leans into the relatable and the celebrated, creating an iconography of the popular and the accessible. It embraces the superficial, using it to tell stories that connect.