Virgin and Child 2018

Curator: Today, we’ll be looking at Cristiano Tassinari’s piece "Virgin and Child" from 2018, which employs a mixed media approach, predominantly acrylic paint and, some suspect, elements of oil. Editor: It strikes me as intensely emotional, almost distressed. The bright splashes of color underneath clash violently with the muted tones of the figures. It's jarring, yet compelling. Curator: Indeed. Tassinari is very active in reclaiming, through his pieces, some traditional iconic images. This portrait references a historical canon loaded with patriarchal religious connotations and attempts a critical visual conversation, doesn't it? It is figuration used to provoke questions about cultural history. Editor: Absolutely. I see that in the raw application of paint, almost aggressively contrasting against the tenderness traditionally associated with depictions of the Madonna. The bright colors seem to disrupt and challenge that ideal of serene motherhood, introducing contemporary anxieties and questioning those established paradigms. It hints at some disruption in the otherwise sanitized image. Curator: Precisely. There is almost an urgency embedded in the neo-expressionist gestures, creating tension. By playing with such historically loaded imagery, and repurposing visual vocabulary with a politically conscious vocabulary, Tassinari opens dialogue with contemporary debates surrounding the historical repression and control exerted in society over marginalized social groups, especially gender related expectations and dynamics. Editor: It's a powerful juxtaposition, inviting us to confront how traditional imagery has been used to normalize power structures, particularly in the depiction of women and children. This "Virgin and Child" isn't simply a representation of innocence; it becomes a site of contention, urging viewers to consider the legacy and the continuing ramifications of the original image's intent. Curator: And that's why pieces like this are vital in contemporary discourse, aren't they? Art should be in dialogue with the present, inviting critical re-evaluation and promoting social awareness. Editor: Agreed, a beautiful invitation to observe the past critically, using a wide palette, and allowing us to rethink the images shaping our cultural awareness, while understanding art as a vector of social critique.