You either cry here or there: Filippo A. L. Cegani

Filippo A.L. Cegani reinterprets the religious imagery and iconography found in the places of worship and introduces them through his paintings, giving them a digitalized look and almost plasticky finish. By doing that, he invites us to step back and focus more carefully on analyzing both the meaning of the words accompanying his paintings and the irony hidden in them. This mixture of digital and classical can be deemed ironic or comical by the majority, but the transnationality of this aesthetic and its success on digital platforms confirm it as an actual phenomenon changing our perception of the Christian aesthetic. 

Unlike Cegani's other represented figures, which are largely influenced by his Italian origin, the work Silver Cages is inspired by Spanish Holy Mary. One might notice that many images of the Holy Mary in Spain are adorned with jewels. Among these are intricate details, such as the Rosary. The artist finds this hyper-alternative — all of those ornaments will remain unseen by those who will actually go to see the image in the first place. Consequently, the jewels lose their inherent beauty and serve merely as decorations for the figure itself. However, Cegani finds that jewels, presented in this manner, cannot even be considered decorations, since they are typically intended to be visible and appreciated, as they are meant to enhance the value of the objects they adorn. The excessive use of jewels in these images and the fact they’re kept at a distance from the audience undermines their purpose. Thus, the ornaments fail to reach their full potential and instead merely function as vehicles in elevating something else’s value. 

Lady of Sorrows reconsiders the archetype of the mother crying, given the seven sorrows, which in this painting correspond to the Last Sorrow of the Holy Mary, therefore, the loss of Jesus for good.

The artist is profoundly intrigued by religious iconography due to its dual nature - it serves as both a symbolic representation of its intended message and as a visual stimulus that inherently resonates with human perception.

Cegani finds similarities between the effects of the imagery of the smiling father and the weeping mother. Both portrayals evoke strong reactions in one’s brain, reflecting a fundamental wiring within human cognition. The artist has linked the rediscovery of religion to the way his feelings are expressed in front of such images: 

For Blue Sindone, Cegani explored the history of colour and its usage for certain figures. At first, red was the colour Jesus was associated with the most. After a while, he started to be associated with blue instead. As a matter of fact, back in the day, male children were dressed in baby pink, contrary to baby blue, which is today's widespread tradition. Cegani finds the way the chromatic idea works very interesting. Jesus was originally supposed to be associated with red because of the blood; blue, however, symbolizes the divine and transcendence.