Madonna & Child is a monumental XXL medallion that reinterprets the timeless theme of the Madonna and Child as a reflection on the creation of life and humanity’s fundamental connection to nature. Constructed from everyday objects, the work explores fragmentation on multiple levels—from reproduction and cell biology to the disintegration of identity—serving as a warning about the increasing distance between humanity and the natural world. Inspired by Jean Fouquet’s Madonna and Child with Seraphim and Cherubim, it translates this historical icon into a contemporary visual language that is fragmented, mechanical, and almost robotic.
This large XXL medallion artwork explores the age old theme of the Madonna and Child. At its core, the work reflects on the creation of life, the child as the origin of existence, and our most intimate connection to nature. In this sense, one cannot come any closer to nature than through the act of creation itself.
I see this work as a wake-up call addressing the increasing fragmentation of humanity: the breaking down into ever smaller parts, and as a warning that we must be careful not to distance ourselves too far from nature. If we do, we risk becoming subject to it rather than living in balance with it, ultimately leading to our own downfall.
The concept of fragmentation operates on multiple levels. It can refer to reproduction, specifically a form of asexual reproduction, which, strangely enough, relates to the story of Mary/Madonna. It also points to cell biology, such as the disintegration of cells or DNA. In this layered way, the work becomes a (shocking) reminder of the direction in which humanity may be heading.
This monumental medallion artwork, made within a pastille acrylic and titled Madonna & Child, is inspired by historical depictions of the Madonna and Child. It is constructed from a wide variety of existing articles and everyday objects, which together form the final image of the Madonna with her child.
The work draws on an old artistic principle, inspired by Madonna and Child with Seraphim and Cherubim by Jean Fouquet from the Middle Ages (KMSKA, Antwerp), in which Agnes Sorel—the mistress of the French king—served as the model for the Madonna. This historical reference is translated into a contemporary visual language that belongs to our time: fragmented, mechanical, and almost robotic in appearance.
(the height of 185 cm is including the 35 cm ring)
