Maddalena

Lina Russo, “Maddalena” (2019) Oil on canvas painting created in February 2019 by the Italian-born, NYC-based contemporary artist. The piece measures 30 x 24 inches and is on a heavy stretch frame with the artist’s signature in the lower right and both hand- signed and dated on the verso. The work of art is from Russo’s "Sacro e Profano" (Sacred and Profane) collection, a body of work that dives into the timeless struggle between the spiritual and the profane to explore the hidden realms of holiness and the sacrilegious.

A description of Maddalena from the artist’s website reads, “Depicting a sexual woman, seemingly full of conceit, graced with a transparent dress that would render vulnerable and shame the most self-assured among us, provocatively adorned by the church′s symbol hanging from her exposed neck, wearing a peacock-ish miter, and scandalously seated at the Pope′s throne chair as if it were her own, should threaten, offend and enrage as it is counter to all that we have been thought about the church and about what is virtuous. Yet, this painting does not threaten, offend, or enrage. It unexpectedly reveals a state of the world that could be or, perhaps, should be.”

“Maddalena′s sexuality is not strange, it′s harmonious, nurturing.
Maddalena′s revealing dress and nudity are not coarse or jarring, they flow naturally, effortlessly.
The cross on Maddalena′s neck does not undermine the church but reveals her faith.
The miter on Maddalena′s head is not pea cockish, it highlights her beauty in service of her virtue.
Maddalena′s usurpation of the Pope′s throne chair is not scandalous, it bestows authority in service of her faith that is timeless.
Maddalena′s being, and gaze are not conceited, weak, uncertain, or that of prey or foe, they are stirringly humble, wise, assertive and magnanimous.
It is this contrivance, this dissonance, so beautifully executed by Lina Russo, that makes this work so exquisite, so enchanting, so valuable.”

Lina Russo was born in Italy and is now based in New York. She is renowned for her diverse creative skills, including as an oil painter, sculptor, photographer, and mixed-media works. In her own words, “…I communicate my personal history across time and place through my art. My pieces are varied and complex, can be interpreted in endless ways, and are inspired by the deepest parts of my soul, which can only be expressed through my craft.”

Categories:
Nudity in Art