This series of eight collages on paper was created as a study on The Last Judgment, painted by Hans Memling between 1467 and 1471. In particular, Alex Urso addressed his attention to the figures of the damned, represented into the original painting on its right-hand panel.

From a coloured-monograph dedicated to this masterpiece, Urso cut out the most expressive pictures of these sinners, and juxtaposed them with shapes of flowers and plants extracted from an illustrated encyclopedia about the natural world. The correspondence of these elements aims to create a contrast between the harmony and the balance of nature, and the bodies full of pain and agony of the damned.

In this series the role of nature is emphasized no longer in its “decorative” value, but as creator of sufferance and torment: the naked and twisted bodies of the damned are mingled with stems of flowers and vivid leaves, creating a fascinating contrast: indeed, instead of burning into flames – as in the original Memling’s painting – they are anguishing among leaves and coloured petals: the nature reveals its essence, deadly and delightful at the same time.

A second consideration about the series, is related to the experience of Alex Urso as Italian artist currently living in Poland. As previously happened with other projects implemented in these years working in Warsaw, Urso tried to create a link between the Italian and the Polish cultures.

The The Last Judgment of Memling was in fact commissioned by Angelo Tani, an agent of the Medici from Florence, about 1460. However, during its transportation to Italy, it was captured at the Baltic sea by a corsair from Danzig (Poland). The citizen of Danzig were so enthusiastic about the painting, that it never arrived to Florence anymore: it was placed in the Basilica of the Assumption but in the 20th century it was moved to its present location, the National Museum of the Polish city.

For these reasons Urso decided to make an homage to the Memling’s painting, a bridge between his native culture and the culture where is currently conducting his activity as artist.