Since the dawn of time, painting has narrated the era, culture, and society to which it belongs. Painting and drawing were the first forms of communication through which humans began to express themselves, their emotions, ideals, and their relationship with the world. Since the earliest times, even before developing a structured language, humankind felt the need to represent the surrounding reality through engravings and drawings, both to convey thought and to give free rein to the fundamental questions concerning the world and their own presence on Earth. Thus, the expressive activity of prehistoric humans, besides narrating daily life, had above all a propitiatory and esoteric purpose. Often, in fact, the images created within caves were produced during magical rituals intended to ensure a successful hunt or the birth of offspring. These images were directed towards idols and supernatural spirits, seeking their intervention in human affairs, thus establishing a dialogue not only among individuals but, more importantly, with higher and superhuman forces to which humans felt subjugated. The most powerful of these deities was undoubtedly nature itself, whose might had a decisive influence on human fate. Nature was felt and worshipped as a mother deity, the source of life upon which everything depended and to which numerous rites and ceremonies were dedicated.
This is precisely where the poetics of Andrea Benetti’s Neo-Cave art originate: he draws from primitive art in terms of expressive technique, yet his greatness lies in his ability to grasp and reinterpret the spiritual content emerging from this ancient art, elaborating it and rendering it strikingly contemporary. Through his works, the artist invites us to look at primitive society as a model to follow, particularly in its respect for and recognition of nature’s importance. By reintroducing the sacredness of nature, he challenges the omnipotence modern humans believe they hold over the world, urging a return to dialogue and a deeper exchange between humans and nature. In contemporary society, it is now evident how humans unscrupulously sacrifice and violate natural laws to serve their own needs, with little regard for the consequences of such actions.
Thus, the apparent simplicity and immediacy of Benetti’s images conceal profound study and thought. His works serve as a vehicle for spirituality, conveying a sensitive and profound philosophical perspective, which sees humanity’s only salvation in rediscovering the sacredness of life by rebuilding a harmonious and simple relationship with the environment—just as the wise primitive man once taught us. Even from a figurative standpoint, nature, rather than humans, takes center stage in his representation. It is significant to note that in all of Benetti’s Neo-Cave paintings, the human figure is reduced to a thin abstract line, almost destined to disappear beside the figures of animals, which are the undisputed protagonists of the scene. The human figure lacks a face, possesses no naturalistic traits, and remains stylized, whereas bison and horses, though still stylized, regain their bidimensionality and are characterized and highlighted by bold color fields. Everything in his work aims to restore to nature—great mother and generator of life—the fundamental role it was rightfully assigned at the dawn of humanity.
In this regard, the recurring pairing of horse and bison returns, a fundamental theme in cave painting. As Leroi-Gourhan argued, Paleolithic art expresses a cosmology centered on the division of nature into masculine and feminine elements, with these two animals being considered, in antiquity, as complementary life principles—male and female—without which life would not exist. The art and thought of Andrea Benetti thus help us understand how primitive art is, in reality, profoundly complete and contemporary, far from being simple or elementary; on the contrary, it is complex and rich in meaning.
Even though, over the centuries, as human thought evolved, artistic techniques were refined, and subjects changed, with new expressive forms giving birth to multiple artistic and communicative styles, Benetti finds it immensely valuable to revisit primitive art. As he himself states in his Neo-Cave Manifesto: “Everything was already invented in the caves of prehistory; figurative, abstract, symbolist, conceptual art…” Even Picasso remarked: “From Altamira onwards, everything is decadence, and none of us is capable of painting as well.” Andrea Benetti is well aware of this and masterfully bridges ancient and modern, successfully integrating the profoundly contemporary characteristics of primitive art. He breathes new life into an art form that is engaging, relevant, and instinctive, full of expressive vibrancy yet also rich in spirituality and mystery.
Thus, a few essential lines convey strength, energy, and vitality—simple and immediate forms that, today as in the past, conceal a deep message directed toward the divine. The images in Benetti’s works, so bold and distinct, assume a spiritual power, seeking to revive in the human soul instinctive, primordial, and untainted emotions that have been forgotten by modern civilization. They invite the viewer to pause and reflect on the fleeting nature of life. His works are a call to rediscover the essence of childhood, which leads us to love nature and the simple yet immensely significant things that surround us—things too often neglected and placed behind material and consumerist pursuits that define contemporary society.
Benetti’s work is, therefore, much more than a return to primitivism. His art is a means of inviting humanity to engage in spiritual reflection, urging a return to origins as a path of renewal and purification. It is an art that does not seek to astonish but to inspire contemplation—an art of intelligence and sentiment, which is all too rare in the contemporary art landscape.