In May 2019, the month traditionally dedicated to the sacred figure of the Madonna, the Fake Gallery in Naples hosted Yele's exhibition, entitled "MADonne" (Many Other Women).
Mary, with her figure as a chaste, obedient and silent woman has greatly influenced the Western imagination: she has been a model for about two thousand years. She is the ideal Wife, the ideal Mother, the ideal Daughter.
“My idea was to challenge the boundaries of traditional representation: the figure of the Madonna is transformed, unhinged and recomposed into a feminist, modern and certainly provocative narrative.”
The Madonna, who has always embodied purity, devotion and motherhood, has been transformed into a visual revolution. His once intact image is now challenged and distorted to embrace a range of unexpected human experiences. The works represent the Madonna transformed into a transsexual figure, who rebelled against the norms imposed by patriarchy and gender rigidities. Her body is portrayed with scars, representation of the fight against breast cancer and vulnerability in the face of disease. This new Madonna is a mother, but outside the heteronormative boundaries. She is a woman who makes a painful, personal choice by deciding to have an abortion, thus reversing the narrative on the control of the body and reproductive choices. She is a strong woman, ready to fight for herself and for others.
“I like to think I am shaking the foundations of ingrained beliefs, inciting critical reflection and discussion.”
The exhibition "MADonne (Many Other Women)" was an invitation to explore the intersection of the sacred and the profane, to challenge conventional representations and to see the archetype of the Madonna with fresh eyes, ready to embrace the complexity of the human experience.
Fine art print 50x70 on Moab Entrada Bright white paper 300gr.