Paolo La Motta's Child Portraits at Capodimonte Museum

The Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte in Naples presents an exhibition featuring contemporary artist Paolo La Motta (born 1972, Naples), who portrays children from the Miracoli, Sanità, Stella, and Vergini neighborhoods. La Motta's interest in children's emotions connects to his youthful encounter with a poster of a frightened child from the Civiltà del Seicento a Napoli exhibition at the same museum. His works, both paintings and sculptures, capture feelings of intensity, curiosity, melancholy, and anxiety, reflecting the complex lives of Neapolitan children. Named subjects include Giuseppe, Ludovica, Chiara, and Cocco. The sculptures were created in collaboration with the Istituto Papa Giovanni XXIII's sculpture workshops. A notable work is the polyptych of Genny Cesarano, a bronze portrait that uses a mirror technique to involve the viewer, addressing the tragedy of the boy's death. La Motta's art is presented as a blend of artistic and social engagement, emphasizing innocence and difficulty in contemporary Naples.