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The Sacred in Rome
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Was Mariam a jewish almâ, mother of Yahoshua,
the would be saviour, a virgin or not? The Septuagint leaves us in doubt;
the churches do not.
Could having a virgin mother be an added value to an ambitious candidate to the divine immortality of a second coming? Yes. Ask Richard Branson who fully understood the power of the concept, "Virgin" sells. The ceiling is the stars. Virginity subconsciously inspires trust and value, suggesting clean brand new goods still in their original wrapping. Naturally, this opinion stands only if you happen to consider females as submissive objects. In this case "New" is always better, except if you are a collector of Old Master paintings. Most men like to unwrap unopened goodies. The female, the vessel, should be chosen in its original packaging. This opinion is still widely shared among the adherents of mid-eastern religions such as Christianity etc... To have a virgin mother, a ‘parthenos’, brings instant celebrity to an ambitious male. It was indeed in fashion before the parthenos Mariam. Plato, Apollonius of Tyana, Pythagoras etc. are all the result of an immaculate conception. In Athens the Parthenon was a sacred shrine dedicated to a virgin. The virgin vestals in Rome were sacred. One must be thick to ignore that virginity is an ace up the sleeve of religions. The inventors of Christianity fully understood this and recycle pagan virginity to their benefit. Today, the preachers on TV understand that virginity sells well too, from the American Midwest to the suburbs of Manila. Il popolo minuto adores it. I like churches, they are silent in the
midst of noisy cities. One can reflect on the genesis of the Big Bang and
subsequent determinism, in peace, with a pinch of mystical uncertainty...
Churches are generally made of stone, they inspire strength and serenity.
The catholic ones are especially pleasing to the eyes. They make you feel
rich amid ornate liturgical gilt paraphernalia. Art works shimmer in the
dark. For the thrill, the goose bumps; just look at the aged paintings
relishing in the horrid iconography of martyrdom. Blood is everywhere.
Bones are encased in golden containers.
Interpretation by Michel Le Goff of the physiological seat of religious belief Acrylic on canvas 50 x 70 cm However, the statuary in churches is mostly
passé. Too many syrupy Virgins dressed like bambole.
I herewith propose
a less exhibitionist religious statue for the twenty-first century. It
is a live statue of a Mariam consistent with the scriptures.
My work is a mixed media consisting of blood and flesh on bones. It is virginally articulated with modesty. It is a polite work suited for believers who find it credible to procreate with the help of a feathered lecherous holy spirit. MLG
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Padova Italy 
Acrylic on canvas 100 x 150 cm _________
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