Nathy Peluso and C. Tangana: artistic references in Ateo
Nathy Peluso and C. Tangana are renowned artists around the world. We have known them separately, until now. The collaboration of these two singers has made quite an entrance in the music industry since they have created a polemic video around one of the most protected entities in the world: the church (Catedral de Toledo). But the video (Ateo) is not as simple as it looks, it does not reduce itself to a sexually charged dance in a holy place. It’s also a creation heavily related to artistic elements related to biblical and mythological themes which appear throughout the video in different and subtle ways. Let’s make a list analyzing them:
- Mural of the Final Judgement of Juan de Borgoña in the chapter room of the cathedral. We can see a detail where a woman is held by a demon, who doesn’t let her get to salvation. That is the explanation of the sexual dance in the video since it’s a reference that’s taking place even though it seems as simple as a provocation that makes the Spanish public go wild.
- The T-Shirt C. Tangana is wearing represents a painting of Dafnis and Cloe, an 18th century painting from a rococó artist François Boucher a protegé of Madame De Pompadour. It’s a gallant painting related to a pastoral theme in which two protagonists of the play written by Longo (a 2nd-century writer) where two girls who grew up together after being abandoned end up falling in love on the Island of Lesbos. The shirt is a design of Vivienne Westwood that went out to the market for 200 euros.
This reference is also related to the Metoo movement after the statue made by Luciano Garbati from the myth of Perseo and Medusa (located in front of the New York City Criminal Court); in the video, we can see how Nathy Peluso is held by C. Tangana the same way as Medusa is by Perseo. - It’s also very interesting the combination of classical and avant-garde art elements. The video presents itself in a majestic scene with no rules, where any combination is not only possible but also valid. The scene, the clothes, and the art are new ways of representing a generation that accepts any combination which could be seen as a reference to the movements that are fighting for the acceptance and celebration of diversity.
This video makes us think about how many elements of art can be hidden in places we less expect. It is important to remember the importance of watching everything closer because it may not be as easy as we think. Also, it’s an important reminder that art can be found anywhere, even in the dirtiest places.
