MEMENTO MORI
Olicorno
June-August 2021
Cosmic phenomena are not meant to be studied exclusively from a scientific perspective. The Universe is also a poet, a mystic, and it knows how to communicate with us in a symbolic way. This new series of acrylic paintings focuses on the study of nebulae. These are stars that have imploded at the end of their lives, leaving behind clouds of gas and radiation that veil the sky. Slow dances that evolve over periods of time beyond human measure.
"Memento Mori" is a Latin phrase that means "Remember that you will die". In medieval Christianity, this phrase was repeated to express the vanity of earthly life and referred to the art of dying with dignity. In ancient times, it was used to remind the victors and conquerors of Roman triumphs of their mortality.
Reading these words and understanding their meaning, I wanted to create a body of work to celebrate human mortality using what I consider the most glorious symbol of death: cosmic nebulae. They are the remains of exploded stars, celestial objects composed of rarefied and ionized gas or interstellar dust.
I painted them from images taken by the Hubble satellite, which I interpreted with reference to the iconography of our Western funerals. I wanted to evoke the silence, the smoke of incense, the tones of the woodwork alongside the floral arrangements. Veils, dance, lace, rituals, and above all, poetry.
- Olicorno
"Memento Mori" is a Latin phrase that means "Remember that you will die". In medieval Christianity, this phrase was repeated to express the vanity of earthly life and referred to the art of dying with dignity. In ancient times, it was used to remind the victors and conquerors of Roman triumphs of their mortality.
Reading these words and understanding their meaning, I wanted to create a body of work to celebrate human mortality using what I consider the most glorious symbol of death: cosmic nebulae. They are the remains of exploded stars, celestial objects composed of rarefied and ionized gas or interstellar dust.
I painted them from images taken by the Hubble satellite, which I interpreted with reference to the iconography of our Western funerals. I wanted to evoke the silence, the smoke of incense, the tones of the woodwork alongside the floral arrangements. Veils, dance, lace, rituals, and above all, poetry.
- Olicorno