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The Madonna and Child appear in Serrano’s photograph as a clouded yet radiant symbol of the Mater Amabilis, the maternal Virgin Mary embracing the Christ child. Submerged in a luminous amber liquid that diffuses light and softens details, the small figurine appears greatly enlarged, composed to emphasize the infant’s gesture as he turns to his mother. Just left of center, a mucilaginous bubble connects the child’s forehead to his mother’s cheek, evoking a corporeal, in-utero connection, as if the two, held tenuously by the gluey spume, wait together in the womb for uncertain deliverance. The consuming colors—fiery yellows and oranges—saturate the photograph, invoking associations with heat and flame. The overall effect is one of paradoxical tranquility, striking an uneasy balance between immersion and immolation, a moment at once still and inflamed. . . .
- April Watson, Curatorial and Exhibition Assistant in the Department of Photographs Text excerpted from A Capital Collection: Masterworks from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, which is available for purchase in the Corcoran Shop. :: Click here to purchase this catalog online :: View more Photography and Media Arts
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