SANTO SUBITO
The “Santo Subito” painting series is inseparably bound with popular culture: with the lives of celebrities, of people enjoying the status of stars. The series started with Frida Kahlo and Pablo Picasso, whose names have been sold by their families to big concerns. Unfortunately, they advertised products that had little to do with their work. The face and the name of the Mexican painter have become signs associated with tequila and cosmetics, while the name of Picasso, in the form of his signature, appeared on Citroen cars. It might appear that figures of this format should be associated primarily with their artistic output, with their works. The iconic figures of popular art selected here, apart from having been famous, distinguished, and adored, share their untimely and often tragic deaths. This is why in my painting series, they become contemporary martyrs, saints of popular culture. In the paintings they are already endowed with attributes of sanctitude: their halos. They are patron saints of people involved with their activities or the tragic events that ended their lives. The first lady of Argentina, Eva P (Peron) became the patron saint of the poor, the idol of the masses James D (Dean) is the patron saint of drivers, the most famous blonde in history Marilyn M (Monroe) is the patron saint of politicians. The legendary John L (Lennon) becomes the patron saint of the desperate, and the most photographed woman of the world, Lady Di, is the patron saint of paparazzi, because she was killed in a car crash when she was trying to flee them with her partner. Despite the place secured for them on the pedestal of beauty and fame, all of these people can be referred to as tragic. The representations from this series pose the question of how much private life must be public. Can glamour and fame guarantee happiness? Why do we feel the need to search for information on what is happening in whose life? The more tumultuous and the more tragic these lives are, the more busy the media become…