Leonardo Passeri
acrylic and enamel on panel
78 ¾ x 51 ¼ x 1 ½ in
Further images
Genetic Manipulation captures a pivotal shift in which life moves away from natural evolution and enters the realm of intentional design.
On the left stands a singular figure within the "Urbenica" cycle—an entity with alien-like features that suggests a highly advanced intelligence, possibly from a distant future or another civilisation. This presence acts not as a character, but as a catalyst, initiating the conditions for the emergence of a new form of humanity.
The figure rests upon a structural base derived from the sculptural work Gravitational Collapse in Black Holes, alluding to the violent convergence of supernovae and the birth of a black hole. Within the symbolic language of the painting, this base functions as a threshold—a point of passage where external forces intersect with the origins of human life.
On the right, a newly formed being appears in a neutral, indeterminate state. Supported by a DNA helix, it represents life that is engineered rather than born—constructed rather than inherited.
At the centre, a vertical structure evokes the Tree of Life, serving as a connecting axis between these two states of existence. At its peak, a cluster of grapes replaces the traditional apple. Unlike the apple’s connotations of prohibition, grapes have long symbolised fertility, transformation, and cultivated growth, particularly in ancient Mediterranean cultures. Here, life is not forbidden—it is processed, developed, and reshaped.

8, King Street