THE MADONNA OF THE HOMOSEXUALS

THE MADONNA AS A GAY ICON!

''LGBTQ+''

IN MEMORY OF HOMOSEXUALS VICTIMS KILLED DURING THE NAZI REGIME

ART AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA

"STOP HOMOPH ART"

The Movement was founded in 2003, Italy by Raffaele Ciotola.

The scope of the movement is to discourage racist attitudes and homophobic behaviour that arise when a glbt homosexual work of art is exhibited to the public. The idea is to spread cultural awareness and respect in the struggle against homophobia. Mr. Ciotola firmly believes that painting, like music, is a direct and universal Language sending messages and spreading ideas with even more immediacy than literature. In fact, his works express the cultural structures involving the male and female, of love between men,love between women, transgender experiences,discrimination,violence and refusal. "The Artist creates freely in the struggle against prejudice and ignorance. Through his creativity he attacks the very source of homophobic attitudes and bravely upholds a revolution in new cultural standards of behaviour. It is both necessary and urgent to achieve this goal, to be trusting and win trust,where difference actually makes the difference and is enrichening;where the beholder of the work of art may find room for his emotions. This movement arises from the need to spread a message coming from the heart, but that is too often filtered by society in terms of religion or politics, and therefore often distorted and hypocritical. This deprives the person of their dignity,sense of freedom and respect as an individual. The most important work of Raffaele Ciotola is the "Madonna of the Homosexuals", painted between 2003 and 2007 and dedicated to the many thousands of homosexual victims murdered by the nazis. The artist attempts to express in this oil painting the immense grief experienced in his very soul by creating a work of art of great ethical and moral value thus creating the very manifesto of "Stop Homoph Art". The iconic impact is unusual and differs from the traditional Virgin and Child; the language is straightforward and nonconformist. In the the painter's words: "I chose Maria as an historical and religious figure, because she alone can represent a work of art meant to communicate a genuine feeling of love and goodness. The brushstrokes are at times few and fragmented in the soft folds of the dress of the female figure,and then more precise and detailed in the outline of her face and in the decorative and symbolic elements. Colour is used in different shades and contrast with the cold and warm tonalities and the complementary colours of the blue and orange cloak. The light is soft coming from the very face of the Madonna as if she were radiating a cosmic energy embracing humanity itself. The composition rests on a central axis where the Holy Child with the globe in its hand, rests on the clasped hands of the Virgin Mary. The symbols grasped in the other hand by the holy child depict the symbols of the homosexual world. The delicate chiaroscuro enhances further the vertical effect. More symbols and decorations are present on the frame itself, together with the title, and from right to left of the virgin's halo, are the Alfa and Omega which symbolize God and Eternity, the Beginning and the End. The pink triangle was sewn on the uniforms of the gay victims by the Nazis according para §175 StGB Law inhibiting homosexual behaviour and represents the movement that the artist Raffaele Ciotola has created, inviting all to support it, in the name not only of humanity but of human rights. Art can play a fundamental role in the struggle against prejudice and specifically, homophobia. Art can teach to tolerate homosexuality and in the words of Picasso : In the face of human tragedies, Picasso once said "Artists cannot and must not be indifferent" .

Prof.ssa Michela Marconi

The main character of my work is Mary, whom I portrayed not as a religious figure, but as the timeless historical mother symbolizing immense love - the kind that accepts, protects and supports every single human being unconditionally and without distinction. The Madonna not only embraces in a single gesture Jesus the Child, but all humankind, represented by the terrestial globe she holds in her hand. Her loving gaze is not only directed at her Son but also embraces all those sons who are homosexuals, represented by gay male and female symbols which the child Jesus clasps in his hand.In order to bind even more closely the madonna to her homosexual children, I chose the same heraldic symbols above her head using the colours of the Gay flag and two bouquets. Those very flowers have two meanings:the one means happiness for homosexual unions whilst the other is in remembrance of all those homosexual victims who tragically and unjustly met their death. I mean all the victims who are officially registered in the documents but have been forgotten for too long. The nazi victims especially, who suffered discrimination and fear of gender difference caused by ignorance and the fact that homosexuality is a condition and not a choice. Society has ignored for too long who the "pink triangles" were and it seems that the gay community has also forgotten today. With this work, I would like to awaken the memory of so much suffering and also stir the consciences of all concerned by offering this token of remembrance through the holy Lady which I have portrayed. I am convinced that no other than she could express the suffering of all those families who lost their sons only because they happened to be 'different'. Many things are slowly changing today in many countries . The GLBT community is gradually becoming more and more respected thereby restoring the hopes and dreams denied so cruelly to the homosexual victims of Nazism. In my simbolic portrayal, Mary is the mother of humankind, oblivious to differences, dispensing her Love to all.

RAFFAELE CIOTOLA | ARTIST AND ACTIVIST

The Voice, the Silence, and the New Melody of Art

The image portraying Raffaele Ciotola with his eyes closed and mouth sealed with rainbow-flag bandages is a powerful symbol of “enough!” a protest against the humiliation and indifference he has endured throughout his personal and artistic journey. It stands as a visual statement of a moment in which the artist has chosen to let his art speak for him with a voice that resounds clearly, even in silence.

For Ciotola, art is not just an aesthetic expression, but a cry of life, an act of resistance, and a bridge to those who feel invisible. Through his works rooted in his personal experience as a gay man he tells stories of identity, struggle, and hope in a world still often closed and judgmental. He believes in the revolutionary power of art as a tool for social change: his colors and symbols aim to shake, provoke, and spark sincere dialogue on issues like racism, homophobia, and inequality.

Born in Naples on October 17, 1964, Ciotola is a Master of Art with a solid academic background. His multidisciplinary training has enriched his expressive abilities, blending tradition and innovation.

In 2003, he founded the movement “Stop Homoph Art,” an initiative that merges art and activism to fight homophobia and promote inclusion and respect for the LGBTQ+ community.

Finger Art Ciotola, created by Raffaele Ciotola in 2017, is an artistic project where the finger becomes subject, not tool. Each finger is transformed into a living micro-artwork made up, dressed, and enriched with symbolic and pictorial details that speak of identity, diversity, and irony.
It’s not about painting with fingers, but about giving fingers their own soul and personality, making them the main characters in a contemporary, accessible, playful, yet deeply meaningful narrative.

In 2018, he created “Rock Art Ciotola,” a project that reimagines popular icons with a rock aesthetic and stylized tattoos. His work recognized nationally and internationally serves as a manifesto of freedom and civic engagement, with pieces exhibited in prestigious museums and institutions. Through his art, Ciotola continues to deliver a message of inclusion and hope, challenging conventions and encouraging social reflection.

E-mail: maestror.c@gmail.com