Leaving the Accademia bridge on your left, turning first right and then left on the first lane, you find yourself in front of the Saint George Anglican Church. On May 10, we went there to take part to Michelle Rogers ’ opening of her “Eco Primavera”.
In an informal and cozy setting, Michelle offered us some prosecco and told us about her painting, how it arrived rolled up in a tube and checked as sport equipment in the airplane. For the first time stretched on a frame. The late afternoon sun entered the windows of the small church creating interesting shadows on the floor. We sat on the bench like we were at a service and Michelle our priestess. And so, somehow, it was.
About Michelle Rogers
“As she told us about her research for endangered species, about the smallest and the most threatened by human activities, the meticulous care for details, it was like she was turning on the light on small part of her amazing work, which was slowly coming alive. I could finally see the small bird among the leaves, the little yellow flower on the bottom right was kind of moving under a soft breeze. I could see the cloth of the lady in the middle gently moving following the weight of her arm and I could imagine the music the three men on the left were dancing at. I’m a scientist. Of course I believe we need technology, knowledge, education to save this planet. But there I thought that, probably, most of all, we need people. Passionate and sensitive human beings, to tell us the way. Michelle put her heart in this painting and you can feel it.”
Fabio
“Michelle Rogers has chosen two weapons to talk about the changes we are going through: the beauty of nature and her care for small animals and insects, which most of the times are not considered in any campaigns about the risk of extinction. The magic, for me, has been to see that every time someone was near the picture, the humans in it looked like in motion together with the real ones or in a live relation with them. It strongly impressed me.
The exposition closing was a kind of mystic celebration: the priests of St George’s Church sang
some lyrics by the Genesis and blessed the painting. A positive and emotional link with the creatures of the whole world even for an atheist.”
Bianca
“Michelle Rogers told us that the main characters of “Eco Primavera” are close friends of her, portrayed separately in different places and under divergent lights. Looking at the painting, I started wondering if humans are disconnected not only from Nature, but also from themselves”
Silvia
“The little things, the details lost. Michelle conceals a secret behind the icon. Something hidden, unconsciously perceived, spreads between legs of distracted men. The symbol of Primavera, the rebirth, now hides the loss, melancholy and death”
Federico