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A Madonna is a representation of the biblical character, Mother Mary. The importance of the Madonna figure within our society permeates many monotheistic religions with her status as “Mother of God”. The purpose of her continuous influence was to remind people of the theological concept of placing a high value on purity or virginity.
When considering the implementation of The Madonna iconography in the 21st century, it seems useless. But the iconic imagery still renders a sense of urgency to me. The symbolism of the flattened sun discs, the awe-inspiring gold sheen, the repetitive representations throughout time. The Madonna is a strong female who has forever remained in the history books. However, with our multicultural, God-less society no longer requires our devotion to Jesus. Much of our perspectives have turned inwards, and with the challenges of an ever-changing environment, it becomes increasingly more difficult to be devoted to much of anything. As a child, I experienced this lack of devotion, as my mother’s depression and alcoholism consumed, and ruined her life.
Avoiding confrontation and hurt feelings, we act as though everything is normal, even without a clear understanding of the meaning. While Mary was devoted to Jesus, and the people of Christianity, my devotion is toward not becoming like my mother. However, this psychologically provoking project caused me to reflect upon my current lifestyle, and how is not too far off the path from where hers was.