Sébastien

This oil-on-wood painting was created in 2025. It offers a modern interpretation of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Over the centuries, this saint has been associated with a scandalous reputation due to depictions that were often lascivious and nearly nude, which could be shocking in eras when artistic nudity was taboo. In the 1970s, the figure of the saint was reclaimed by the gay community as a symbol of struggle during the sexual liberation movement. Here, Sebastian is no longer depicted as a saintly figure, but as an ordinary person. In this contemporary context, he has been beaten and tied to a lamppost. Stripped naked, humiliated, and left for dead, his attackers inflicted one final mark upon him: a pink triangle drawn on his skin. This mark is reminiscent of the one used under the Nazi regime during World War II to persecute gay people. By reimagining this tragedy, the work highlights that even today, such acts of hatred persist, demonstrating that one need not be a saint to fall victim to such martyrdom.