From Africa to America: Madaudo’s Journey

PALERMO. (sit) Beppe Madaudo’s initiation has its roots in Black Africa, before moving beneath the skyline of the Big Apple: the Palermo-born painter — whose latest works are on view at the Corimbo Loft until December 31, before moving to New York in a few months — traces a highly personal journey through successive stages, beginning from his father’s house in Acireale.

There, Madaudo pursued the marvellous animals shown to him by an elderly retired professor: armadillos, small birds with dense plumage, eagles, tits, butterflies. A world apart that the painter explored joyfully, embracing its silence, which he associated with the majestic mosaics of Monreale.

The road continues, Madaudo’s journey touches other places, his interest turns golden and immerses itself in the most authentic — and most imaginary — Orient. The animals, now transformed into panthers, owls, and furious horses, follow the figures through this fantastic universe, emphasizing the femininity of the women beside whom they softly gather.

It was at the end of 1995 that the painter discovered Africa — and wood. The forms became rounder and, at the same time, more fragmented, immersing themselves even further into that sort of purifying golden bath that Madaudo draws close to himself as a symbol. Naturally, sculptures also emerged: profiles carved into black wood, masks and men who themselves seem like masks.

These were also the years of Madaudo’s fascination with the figure of Saint Benedict — one of the works dedicated to the saint is shown in the accompanying photograph — or Benito da Palermo, as Mayor Orlando likes to call him. A Black saint carved in pitch, patron of a city that chose him to stand beside its blonde maiden, the deeply Palermitan Saint Rosalia, Benedict is ultimately a man, and as such Madaudo discovers him and offers him back to Palermo — the artist’s painting of the saint is displayed at Palazzo delle Aquile — while repeatedly revisiting him, virtually, in order to build around him an entire cycle of works.

These works, together with many others marking the stages of an entire career, have been gathered into a video entitled Traces of a Journey from Africa to America, which today at 6 p.m., again at Corimbo, will be presented by Mayor Orlando.

Fragments of a dazzling art, a source of continual inspiration, living surrounded by light.

Si. T.