The Truth is Never Far Behind

‘The Truth is Never far Behind’ is inspired from the play ‘Por La Vida’ written and performed by Elena Dragonetti and Raffaella Tagliabue and refers to the tragedy of the desaparecidos in Argentina (1976-83). It is dedicated to the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, whose courage has proved the effectiveness of unarmed resistance in the face of organised terror. The white umbrellas emphasise the non-violent nature of this protest while also being an indirect reference to the Mothers’ distinctive white headscarves. An umbrella may protect when opened as a shield and also be used in defence when closed. The aura of light they create here symbolises hope for the future as well as offering the girls protection from the past horrors behind them. The painting’s title refers to the Mothers’ fearlessness in unravelling the truth behind a murky international conspiracy involving such powers as the USA and the Catholic church (see “Le Pazze” by D. Paduan). The two girls are engrossed in a conversation that implies the handing down of knowledge from a past victim of the regime to a contemporary girl today so that what happened may not be buried in the dust of the past.