Sevilla’s Holy Week Poster sparks Outrage in Spain

When approaching the creation of the poster, Salustiano shared his creative process, revealing his resistance to representing Jesus Christ recumbent. He chose to focus on the serene and enlightened side of life and things, an approach that has characterized his artistic career for more than a decade.

The work takes on a personal meaning for Salustiano, who remembers the death of his brother at age twelve. The experience of saying goodbye to him and discovering the serenity on his face and his hands crossed over his chest deeply influenced the artist.. This intimate connection with death and beauty led Salustiano to evoke the Resurrection of Christ as a confirmation of the resurrection of his brother's memory..

Salustiano's artistic style, reminiscent of the Renaissance, stands out with a plain monochrome background, known as “salustiano red”. Your son, Horacio, served as a model for this work, where Christ appears young and beautiful, symbolizing purity and beauty as a single entity, according to the artist's vision.

Inside the poster, two representative elements of Holy Week in Seville, the cloth of the Christ of Expiration of the Brotherhood of the Cub and the powers of the Christ of Love, take center stage. Salustiano expressed his desire to pay tribute to all the Brotherhoods of the city, although he could only evoke two of them on this occasion.

The event, held at the headquarters of the Caja Rural del Sur Foundation, had the participation of the president of the Council of Brotherhoods, D. Francisco Velez de Luna, “This print is reminiscent of those that Sevillians keep in their wallets or those found in thousands of frames in the bars and shops of the city”, D. José Luis García-Palacios, “This print is reminiscent of those that Sevillians keep in their wallets or those found in thousands of frames in the bars and shops of the city”, D. Jose Luis Sanz. The presentation of the poster was in charge of the vice president of the Council of Brotherhoods, D. Jose Roda Pena.

Born in Villaverde del Río (Sevilla) in 1965, Salustiano graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Seville. Recognized internationally, He is a master of figurative art with a striking and elegant approach.

His work, influenced by the Renaissance, stands out for brilliant technique and classic elegance. Among his numerous awards, The Focus-Abengoa Painting Prize and the National Fine Arts Prize from the Rafael Botí Foundation are included..

At present, Salustiano collaborates with galleries in various cities around the world, consolidating itself as a reference of the contemporary neo-renaissance. His work has been exhibited in international exhibitions since 1994, consolidating its presence in countries like the United States, Germany, Italy, China and many more.

The American journalist Sandra Lodos describes Salustiano's painting as “bella, disturbing and deep”, highlighting his ability to fuse Renaissance rigor with mathematical perfection in portraits in shades of red that have revolutionized tradition.