Dedicated to all the homosexual victims killed during the cruel Nazism.
"The protagonist of my work is Mary, whom I wanted to portray in her religious and historical value as a mother, as the symbol of an immense love, - the kind that accepts, protects and supports every single human being unconditionally and without distinction. The Madonna not only embraces in a single gesture Jesus the Child, but all humankind, represented by the terrestial globe she holds in her hand. Her loving gaze is not only directed at her Son but also embraces all those sons who are homosexuals, represented by gay male and female symbols which the child Jesus clasps in his hand.In order to bind even more closely the madonna to her homosexual children, I chose the same heraldic symbols above her head using the colours of the Gay flag and two bouquets. Those very flowers have two meanings:the one means happiness for homosexual unions whilst the other is in remembrance of all those homosexual victims who tragically and unjustly met their death. I mean all the victims who are officially registered in the documents but have been forgotten for too long. The nazi victims especially, who suffered discrimination and fear of gender difference caused by ignorance and the fact that homosexuality is a condition and not a choice. Society has ignored for too long who the "pink triangles" were and it seems that the gay community has also forgotten today. With this work, I would like to awaken the memory of so much suffering and also stir the consciences of all concerned by offering this token of remembrance through the holy Lady which I have portrayed. I am convinced that no other than she could express the suffering of all those families who lost their sons only because they happened to be 'different'. Many things are slowly changing today in many countries . The GLBT community is gradually becoming more and more respected thereby restoring the hopes and dreams denied so cruelly to the homosexual victims of Nazism. In my simbolic portrayal, Mary is the mother of humankind, oblivious to differences, dispensing her Love to all.
''How the Madonna of the homosexuals was born''
In 2002, while studying in the dining room, I took a break and stared at one of my unfinished paintings of motherhood and, while talking to myself, I wondered why I couldn't finish it, but no way!
The answer didn't arrive, time passed and the painting still remained unfinished... I didn't understand why and I suffered artistically...
In 2007, after putting aside my tripod work for 5 years, I decided to stop to rest, and started surfing the Internet: it was at this moment that I encountered the "PINK TRIANGLE". An innocent curiosity led me to visit all the sites that talked about it.
Reading and rereading all the violence suffered by homosexual men and women, I stopped to think as if petrified: everything was boiling inside me like a bomb about to explode, I was trembling, and I felt something inside me again.
I couldn't help but think of the pain of these families who suffered these losses due to discrimination against something they didn't choose, and I thought about the moment they lost their lives due to unjustifiable homophobia.
I identified with these victims, and my artistic and human hypersensitivity brought out in me pain, fear and an indescribable desire to scream: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!, WHY?"
And I cried... ... ... .... like a child who has been taken away from his loved ones, in front of a mirror I brought my hands to my face, and I read in my eyes an alternation of anger and pain that arises deep in my heart.
These tears testified to an irrepressible internal change, something that was born in my heart and that I didn't really understand! I ran into my laboratory, and looking at the sky from the window, I felt my eyes go towards the incomplete work, which suddenly seemed more beautiful, clearer, more sunny, I don't know how to explain: it's not that easy.
In my soul I heard questions and answers: “What does Mary who takes her son in her arms mean to you?”
“A mother who suffered immense pain for the loss of her son who was unjustly killed.”
Suddenly, unexpectedly I compared the pain of many mothers to that of Mary, the mother of all. My heart and mind opened, everything became clearer and I felt the love of Mary, indiscriminate mother of ALL.
A voice speaks to me from the heart and tells me:
“What if she were the Madonna of the homosexuals?”
"No no! It's a shame!"
From my heart the voice answered me: "If Mary is unconditional love for you, why are you afraid to represent her as the mother of those who have suffered because they are different?"
I replied: “Because not all people are ready!”
And the voice said: “And you, are you ready?”
I replied, “Yes, because I LOVE myself as I am and I strive to love others as they are!”
The voice from my heart asked me: “I ask you again, do you believe that my LOVE is truly unconditional?”
And I said, "YES!
The voice replied: ''CALL HER ''The Madonna of the homosexuals''!
My heart suddenly flooded with immense joy, because my artwork finally acquired a rich meaning, I saw it come to life, and ever since then I thank God for giving me this inspiration, which I don't deserve, because I am the last of the last.
The artist Raffaele Ciotola was born in Naples on 17 October 1964. His loving and receptive mother promoted his studies supporting his artistic nature. He obtained the Artistic High School School graduation and got the Master of Arts degree at the state institute of Arts "Filippo Palizzi" in Naples in 1983. The artist Raffaele Ciotola was born in Naples on 17 October 1964. His loving and receptive mother promoted his studies and supported his artistic talent. He obtained the Artistic High School School graduation and got the Master of Arts degree at the state institute of Arts "F.Palizzi" in Naples in 1983. Since he was a boy he has been devoting his life to painting in a professional manner; after his debut in 1980 at an exhibition in his hometown, he kept on taking part in other collective and personal exhibitions set up in several Italian cities until 2002 (Piano di Sorrento, St. Anne in Naples, Milano, Viterbo, Milan). He was awarded the gold medal at the National Biennial of Sacred Art in Torre del Greco in 1980 by prof. Mr Franco Girosi, a famous Neaolitan artist of the last century. It was foundamental for his training, the meetings with prof. Mr Franco Girosi and with Mr Luigi Signore, an artist known as one of the best sculptors of cribs in Italy today. He studied music and attended the voice class at the Conservatory of Naples, but the meeting he had in Rome in 1987 with Master Mr Renato Guelfi, opera singer and painter, was so crucial to his professional growth that he started performing as a singer in some Italian theatres (Lecce, Santa Maria di Leuca, Ronciglione, Villa Pignatelli in Naples). He got to obtained some rewards such as: the gold medal in "La Triade" Prize, Palazzo Sormani - Sala del Grechetto - Milano; the diploma of honor at St. Anastasia, Naples. His personal exhibition in Tuscia dates back to 2002 , in this occasion he exhibited for the first time at the Sala Anselmi in Viterbo. His painting style and production are characterized by an intense use of colours and by the chiaroscuro effects conveying a whole creative freedom and a boundless vital energy, without hiding any strong and eloquent emotion, leaving the viewer a hope, a light , the one that leads beyond any solitude and that blurs roles and social conventions. In fact, from the late 90s, his work is more focused on topical issues and feels the effect of his civil commitment against homophobia and discriminatory behaviors, so it became a vehicle to spread some nonconformist messages, even inspired by universal ethical values. In 2003 he created the artistic movement called " Stop Homoph Art" which aims to spread the culture of respect and fight against homophobia. From this battle, "The Madonna of the homosexuals/gays came to life, it became the emblematic work of his production and a copy will be exhibited for the first time in the foyer of the Teatro Mercadante in Naples on 18 October 2014.
So his landscapes and his dreamlike hermetic metaphysical views of the first period, they have been gradually replaced by works full of reflection and judgment which are well received by public and by critics, attracting the attention of Mr Jean-Louis Cougnon, Chief Excecutive at General Managment of European Parliament.
* TusciaWeb - The work '' MAOMETTO '' dedicated to all the Muslim community.
* Tuscia Web - The '' COVID-19 '' work dedicated to all the victims of the Coronavirus.
* The work of art " Italy against racism " dedicated to the fight against "racism" which was appreciated by correspondence by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella.
* '' San Bonaventura da Bagnoregio '' the work is exhibited in the Co-Cathedral of Saints Nicola, Donato and Bonaventura - Bagnoregio - Viterbo.
* The work of art '' Our Lady of Fátima '' is OFFICIALLY part of the Fátima Museum COLLECTION.
* Catalog of the international artists of Tuscia - Viterbo - Italy.
* Book '' Raffaele Ciotola and his vitalism '' Ediz. Mondadori, Feltrinelli, IBS, University bookstore.
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