Del Campo’s ‘Close Strangers’ is a collection of 20-25 new oil paintings portraying a world where everyone is edgy, young and beautiful. In Del Campo’s 2008 London show, “Urban Chic”, he explored the single figure, there were real feelings of remoteness and loneliness. Solitary figures placed against decontextualized urban backdrops reappeared time after time. His new paintings and recent focus turns towards complex groups of young people. There is now a sense of narrative, tension and atmosphere. Carefully constructed compositions create dynamic changes to his approach to the positioning and intimacy of these young people. We now see an increase of emotional feelings within the characters and a physical closeness. In some of his paintings there appears to be an awkward unsolved feeling, there is new drama, tension and emotion in abundance. Del Campo wants the viewer to make up their own minds, their own feelings and their own interpretation of the situation. Del Campo’s energetic, expressive paintings are acute observations of people and their world in whether walking in the street or relaxing on a warm Mediterranean beach. These images make the viewer smile, recalling an uplifting memory. Mark Jason, who has represented the artist since 2006 comments: ‘In ‘Close Strangers’, Del Campo’s focus has recently turned from observing the single figure to complex group compositions. There appears to be a new narrative in his paintings which is very apparent when looking closely at the expressions, poses and body language of the young people in his paintings.”