This work is part of the series Love for Mona, which consists of 12 paintings.
Love for Mona is a series of works that explore the playful interaction between two contrasting entities: the rigid, mathematical structure of a cube and the delicate, emotional presence of Raphael’s Maddalena Doni, affectionately referred to as Mona. The project examines the tension and harmony between these two forms — one defined by precision and order, the other by softness and beauty.
At the heart of the project is the concept of a game. Player One is a cube, symbolizing stability and structure, which, through simple mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, undergoes a transformation. These operations reveal the cube's unexpected flexibility, turning it into a variety of forms that challenge its initial rigidity.
Player Two, Mona, represents tenderness and grace. Born from the hand of Raphael in the 16th century, she introduces a contrasting, emotional layer to the cube’s strict geometry. Her soft, colorful presence influences the cube, softening its structure and inviting change. This interaction demonstrates how a rigid form can evolve and become more dynamic, vulnerable, and expressive in the presence of beauty and emotion.
The project is a dialogue between opposites: precision versus fluidity, control versus spontaneity. Through this work, I seek to explore the power of emotional connection — how love, tenderness, and beauty can transform even the most rigid structures. Love for Mona invites the viewer to witness the poetic interplay between geometry and emotion, and to reflect on how these two forces can coexist and enrich one another.
