Description
In her reinterpretation of Botticelli’s Primavera, Tomoko Nagao transforms the Renaissance fresco into a kawaii kaleidoscope, populated by stylized figures whose faces have been reduced to neutral masks. The protagonists of the classical scene—Venus, the Graces, Flora, Zephyr, and Chloris—retain their original arrangement, but their garments and the entire setting are overtaken by decorative patterns, giving them the appearance of stylized characters devoid of individuality, as a symbol of a globalized society that flattens differences. Among the flowering branches appear Alitalia airplanes, Hello Kitty mascots, and colorful animals invading the natural scene, overlapping the original delicacy of the work.
Hidden among the vegetation and flowers, small volumes of Finestre sull’Arte also emerge, almost like bookmarks inviting the viewer to discover hidden details and reflect on the connection between traditional and contemporary culture. The allegorical refinement of the original work is likewise absorbed into a playful yet unsettling dimension, where the classical myth bends to the rules of mass society and the enchantment of nature becomes the backdrop for a colorful, lively celebration infused with ironic melancholy. Nagao thus reinterprets the Primavera as a symbol of our present, in which beauty and art are transformed into decorated, light, and consumable surfaces.
