The Pope carried or the Prisons.
Watercolor, Political / Social, Watercolour, 120x185x1cm
"DRAWING IS THINKING",(IL DISEGNO E PENSATO). THIS IDEA IS THE CORNERSTONE OF ALL MY CREATIVE ACTIVITY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THIS TO UNDERSTAND MY SYMBOLIC PRODUCTION. THE WORK SENT TO CELESTE PRIZE 2012 IS:"THE POPE CARRIED OR THE PRISONS". IN THE RICH TRADITION OF CUBAN ART, THE THEME OF LANDSCAPE OCCUPIES AN IMPORTANT PLACE. SINCE THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURY THE LANDSCAPE HAS SERVED FOR ARTITS AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND PRETEXT TO OVERFLOW FANTASIES, EMOTIONS, EXPLORE THE TROPICAL LIGHT AND DEFINE OUR IDENTITY, CULTURE AND HISTORY AS A NATION.
THIS NEW DRAWING USES THE THEME OF LANDSCAPE AS A "STAGE", BUT THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE TRADITION IS IN THE CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE CERTAINLY PROVOCATIVE, BECOMING A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE. HERE THERE ARE NO PALMS( NATIONAL TREE), SHACKS, ROOSTERS OR PEASANTS. THE ONLY HUMAN FOOTPRINT ON THE LANDSCAPE ARE "THE POPE" MOVING IN A HURRY AND "THE PRISONS". SO DYNAMIC MOVEMENT AND ENERGY COME INTO TENSION WITH IMMOBILITY AND CLOSURE.
THESE CONSTRUCTIONS RESEMBLE THE ROMAN COLISEUM OR MAY APPEAR LIKE ATOMIC POWER PLANTS. OUT OF THEM THERE IS NO HUMANITY. THE HUMAN PRESENCE IS CONFINE IN THESE MEGA-PRISONS; ISOLATED! THE VISION IS MIND-BOGGLING! THE FANTASTIC CHARACTER IN THE DRAWIND COINCIDES WITH EVENTS DURING THE VISIT OF POPE BENEDICTO XVI TO CUBA. AS THE HOLY FATHER DELIVERED HIS SPEECHES DURIND MASS, A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE LISTENERS WERE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OBEYING INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE GOVERMENT. HOWEVER, MANY FAITHFUL CATHOLICS WERE ARESTED ALONG WITH OPPONENTS AND DISSIDENTS. SO THE MESSAGE OF LOVE, RECONCILIATION AND FORGIVENESS TO MOVE FORWARD IN BUILDING A NEW SOCIETY WAS ANNULED.
THIS IS NOT A PORTRAIT OF THE POPE PHYSICALLY. NOR IS IT AN ATTACK ON HIS PERSON OR TO THE CHURCH. IT IS JUST A SYMBOLIC REFERENCE. HERE THE POPE IS DEPICTED BEWILDERED, DISCONNECTED FROM THIS SCENARIO UNREALISTIC. HIS FIGURE IS TREATED WITH BEAUTY AND DELICACY, YET DEFORMED. IT IS LED BY A STRONG ROPE FAST. HIS MOVEMENT REMINDS US OF A BALLET DANCER OR A MODEL DURING A FASHION SHOW. ALL THESE ELEMENTS ENHANCE THE IRONIC AND CARICATURE OF THE MAIN FIGURE WITH HIS EXQUISITE CLOTHING AND EXPENSIVE JEWELRY. ALL THIS IN CONTRAST TO THE DRAMATIC PRESENCE OF THE PRISONS FULL OF PAIN AND FEAR!
THE POPE'S GESTURE AND EXPRESSION ARE AFFECTED, SOPHISTICATED AND MANNERED. OBLIVIOUS TO REALITY! THE SMALL AND FRAGILE FLOWERS PLUCKED AND THE IMMENSE ROPE HAVE SYMBOLIC MEANING. MEANWHILE IN THE SKY THERE ARE ALSO STORM! THANK YOU.
THIS NEW DRAWING USES THE THEME OF LANDSCAPE AS A "STAGE", BUT THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE TRADITION IS IN THE CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE CERTAINLY PROVOCATIVE, BECOMING A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE. HERE THERE ARE NO PALMS( NATIONAL TREE), SHACKS, ROOSTERS OR PEASANTS. THE ONLY HUMAN FOOTPRINT ON THE LANDSCAPE ARE "THE POPE" MOVING IN A HURRY AND "THE PRISONS". SO DYNAMIC MOVEMENT AND ENERGY COME INTO TENSION WITH IMMOBILITY AND CLOSURE.
THESE CONSTRUCTIONS RESEMBLE THE ROMAN COLISEUM OR MAY APPEAR LIKE ATOMIC POWER PLANTS. OUT OF THEM THERE IS NO HUMANITY. THE HUMAN PRESENCE IS CONFINE IN THESE MEGA-PRISONS; ISOLATED! THE VISION IS MIND-BOGGLING! THE FANTASTIC CHARACTER IN THE DRAWIND COINCIDES WITH EVENTS DURING THE VISIT OF POPE BENEDICTO XVI TO CUBA. AS THE HOLY FATHER DELIVERED HIS SPEECHES DURIND MASS, A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE LISTENERS WERE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OBEYING INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE GOVERMENT. HOWEVER, MANY FAITHFUL CATHOLICS WERE ARESTED ALONG WITH OPPONENTS AND DISSIDENTS. SO THE MESSAGE OF LOVE, RECONCILIATION AND FORGIVENESS TO MOVE FORWARD IN BUILDING A NEW SOCIETY WAS ANNULED.
THIS IS NOT A PORTRAIT OF THE POPE PHYSICALLY. NOR IS IT AN ATTACK ON HIS PERSON OR TO THE CHURCH. IT IS JUST A SYMBOLIC REFERENCE. HERE THE POPE IS DEPICTED BEWILDERED, DISCONNECTED FROM THIS SCENARIO UNREALISTIC. HIS FIGURE IS TREATED WITH BEAUTY AND DELICACY, YET DEFORMED. IT IS LED BY A STRONG ROPE FAST. HIS MOVEMENT REMINDS US OF A BALLET DANCER OR A MODEL DURING A FASHION SHOW. ALL THESE ELEMENTS ENHANCE THE IRONIC AND CARICATURE OF THE MAIN FIGURE WITH HIS EXQUISITE CLOTHING AND EXPENSIVE JEWELRY. ALL THIS IN CONTRAST TO THE DRAMATIC PRESENCE OF THE PRISONS FULL OF PAIN AND FEAR!
THE POPE'S GESTURE AND EXPRESSION ARE AFFECTED, SOPHISTICATED AND MANNERED. OBLIVIOUS TO REALITY! THE SMALL AND FRAGILE FLOWERS PLUCKED AND THE IMMENSE ROPE HAVE SYMBOLIC MEANING. MEANWHILE IN THE SKY THERE ARE ALSO STORM! THANK YOU.
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