Siena, controversy over palio painted by Szymkowicz, deemed ugly and disrespectful. Archbishop refuses to bless it

Stirring controversy in Siena around the 2018 edition of the Palio dell’Assunta, which as per tradition is run on August 16. Enraging many Sienese was the painter Charles Szymkowicz (Charleroi, 1948), who created the so-called “Drappellone,” or the palio that will be awarded to the winning contrada: it is a tradition for each edition of the Palio di Siena to be painted by an artist. The Sienese, however, did not appreciate Szymkowicz’s work: “unwatchable,” “unworthy,” “horrible,” “obnoxious,” and “crusty” are just some of the adjectives and nouns most generous that have been affixed to her by social users. But the controversy has also transcended the borders of the web: the Archbishop of Siena, Antonio Buoncristiani, in the traditional ceremony of the offering of candles and census on August 14, refused to bless Szymkowicz’s Drappellone (this is the first time this has happened): “it is a modern work of art, but it does not respect the characters of Marian culture, and for that reason I bless the city, but not the Drapelon,” the archbishop said.

Szymkowicz’s Drappellone features the Madonna, painted against the backdrop of Siena Cathedral while holding a white horse in her hands, and is painted with the sharp, nervous outlines, angular shapes and uniform color fields typical of the Belgian neo-expressionist painter’s manner. In response to criticism Szymkowicz, in an interview with The Nation, said, “I would like to say that the greatest offense is indifference. I have always been a partisan of freedom of expression, and this is a very important thing, but I think that before looking at a work of art people should study. Painting is a language, and we have to understand it and think about it. My palio is a love letter to the people of Siena, and I hope the boxes are not all closed.”

In the days leading up to the presentation (during which the Drappellone was also the subject of booing), Szymkowicz had also stated in an interview with SienaNews that his palio was dedicated to his daughter Sarah.

Pictured is Charles Szymkowicz’s Drappellone.

Siena, controversy over palio painted by Szymkowicz, deemed ugly and disrespectful. Archbishop refuses to bless it

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