Woman Portrait Gallery #3 — June 2025
Botticchio
“The High Priestess”
For more than 30 years, Botticchio has worked in the world of high fashion, representing international brands in the showrooms of Milan and Paris.
She describes her role as similar to that of a gallerist: presenting bold, sometimes challenging creations to buyers who select exclusive pieces for their stores worldwide. Painting, however, has been part of her life for even longer — a practice she began in childhood, which continues to be her personal space for creation.
Like many artists, Botticchio moves between two realms: the free expression of ideas and the necessity of making a living. After decades in the business, the artist seems to have mastered this skill — mirrored in the pair of paintings she presents in the group show: The High Priestess, in this case depicted wearing a dress by Chitose Abe, is a motif from the tarot. This card represents equilibrium — the High Priestess sits between two pillars, symbolizing the harmony of opposites: light and dark, conscious and unconscious, masculine and feminine. It may also be read as the tension between the desire to be a free artist and the reality of earning an income.
She describes her role as similar to that of a gallerist: presenting bold, sometimes challenging creations to buyers who select exclusive pieces for their stores worldwide. Painting, however, has been part of her life for even longer — a practice she began in childhood, which continues to be her personal space for creation.
Like many artists, Botticchio moves between two realms: the free expression of ideas and the necessity of making a living. After decades in the business, the artist seems to have mastered this skill — mirrored in the pair of paintings she presents in the group show: The High Priestess, in this case depicted wearing a dress by Chitose Abe, is a motif from the tarot. This card represents equilibrium — the High Priestess sits between two pillars, symbolizing the harmony of opposites: light and dark, conscious and unconscious, masculine and feminine. It may also be read as the tension between the desire to be a free artist and the reality of earning an income.
Context
