Genesis of Medusa

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The artwork is a bas-relief oil on canvas, obtained by successive depositions of oil color without the use of desiccant (every subject was painted several times and the realization required eight years of accurate work, during which the painting was kept always horizontal).

 

Starting from the bottom left and moving clockwise( considering the reptiles partially reproduced too):

Egyptian Cobra, Paranaja multifasciata,Coral snake, eastern Reticulated python, Bothrops asper ( terciopelo), Echis pyramidum, Hydrophiinae ( sea serpent from the large tail ),Boiga dendrophila (mangrove snake), Anaconda, Copperhead of the plains of Australia, Lachesis (Rattlesnake Dumb), Xenopeltis unicolor, Micrurus fulvius ( Coral snake ) from South Africa, Leptophis ahaetulla (Parrot Snake) from the Pacific Coast, Boa constrictor, Tropidolaemus wagleri, Naja nivea, Morelia viridis (Green python), Acanthophis antarcticus (Viper of death), Bitis gabonica ( Gaboon viper), Ophiophagus hannah (Cobra), Bothriechis schlegelii ( Viper lashed), Crotalus durissus.

On Medusa's face, as unruly curls, we can see, on the left, a Boomslang, and, on the right, a Black Mamba.The green snake on the forehead is imaginary.

One of  the signatures is, itself, a Naja pallida ( red cobra) gaping jaws. It was created only in 2011 on the occasion of the 1st Triennial of Contemporary Art in Rome.

 

                                               Symbolism and interpretations

 

"Medusa" differs from classical iconography for the use of different species of deadly poisonous reptiles and four constrictors snakes.

The artist, in this way, wanted to emphasize the harshness of the punishment inflicted by the goddess of reason Athena.

Medusa symbolizes, in the painting, the uncontrollable passion of the human being made deadly (poisonous reptiles) and constrained constrictors snakes by rationality, that, however, can't extinguish her seductive beauty.

 

                                                                           Exhibitions

 

In october 2011 the artwork was exhibited in the monumental complex of the Augustinian church Santa Maria del Popolo in Piazza del Popolo in Rome at the "1st Triennial of Contemporary Art", organized by the art critic prof. Daniele Radini Tedeschi.

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From avril 2013 Medusa was exposed, for five months, in the museum pole of FIJLKAM in Ostia (Rome), at the artistic event "The Woman between Myth and Reality" organized by the architect and art critic Livio Toschi and Silvia Girlanda.

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In august 2014 Medusa was exposed in Soriano nel Cimino, at the Orsini Castle, built by Orso Orsini in the 13th century and summer residence of Pope Nicholas III, partecipating at the " V Premio Centro alle Arti Figurative " during the " V ESPOSIZIONE NAZIONALE DELLE ARTI CONTEMPORANEE ".

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In december 2015 the painting was exposed in Villa Contarini, a patrician Venetian villa in Piazzola sul Brenta ( Padova ),built in 1546 by Paolo and Francesco Contarini.

 

In 2016, on the april 2, Medusa was exposed at the art studio of the famous Italian artist Salvatore Provino, during the presentation of the book written by the journalist Agostino Bagnato, "Natura e poesia nella Divina Commedia"  "Realtà e allegoria nel Medioevo". The book contains the image of Medusa and other important artist’s artworks (Ennio Calabria, Salvatore Provino, Franco Ferrari)

 

From october 2017 Medusa was exposed, for five months, in the museum pole of FIJLKAM in Ostia (Rome), at the artistic event "Cantami o Diva"  organized by the architect and art critic Livio Toschi and Silvia Girlanda.

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                                                                            Curiosities 

 

The original frame of the artwork was created by the artist using wooden planks of his bed and stones gathered in Rome.

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From the video we can see, under the final picture, at least, five different paintings. It can be considered, in a certain sense, a multi-level work.

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A few years after the completion of the work and its vertical positioning, the color continued to leak at some points, very slowly, and the author has had to repair the painting several times.Because of this the author liked to think that Medusa, years later, tried to attract his attention, to have his care, to be restored each time, as if an uncared for lover reminds his distracted companion of her need for kindness.

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In  every Ugo Bongarzoni ‘s artwork there is more than one signature hidden.One of these is always biological.In Medusa there is anauthor’s hair hidden in one of the snakes.

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The only foreign material to oil painting is in the pupils of the  Gorgon. They are small gray stones carved by hand by the author.

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The author, in his artistic involvement, has always considered the painting not as an object, but as a living being, and he has always thought that Medusa had the power to lead to unfortunate fate anyone who took it away from the rightful owner.