Il Peccato Originale 

“Il Peccato Originale,” or “The Original Sin,” was painted by Tano Festa, using fairly conventional painting materials. Festa applied these flat, bold colors and clearly defined shapes onto canvas, in a way that is almost graphic. The simplicity of the materials belies the symbolic complexity of the scene. Festa has chosen a palette of cool blues, grays, and blacks to depict the pivotal moment from the Book of Genesis. Notice how the serpent is rendered as a stark, black form, contrasting with the muted figure of Eve. This juxtaposition draws our attention to the contrast between good and evil, innocence and knowledge. Festa’s interest in popular culture is reflected in this painting’s flat, graphic aesthetic. Rather than seeking the illusionism of traditional painting, he embraced the visual language of mass media. This approach challenges the hierarchies of the art world, and elevates everyday visual experience to the realm of fine art.