Jorge Cocco Santangelo is a Latter-day Saint artist known internationally for sacrocubism—an art style blending sacred themes with cubist techniques. A self-taught painter, he has spent decades capturing the spiritual essence of religious events rather than creating literal depictions. Some of his most notable paintings include “The Call,” “Tree of Life,” and “First Vision,” and his work is featured on the cover of books like Latter-day Saint Art: A Critical Reader. In this interview, Jorge Cocco offers a glimpse into his artistic journey.
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Could you introduce yourself?
My name is Jorge Cocco Santangelo. I am an artist. I was born in Argentina, but my vocation has led me to live in different countries, mainly Spain and Mexico, and currently, I spend half the year in the United States.
I am grateful for my son, Amiel, who is translating this From the Desk interview into English for me.
When did you start painting?
I’ve had a pencil in my hand for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would frequently sleep with one in my bed. I simply never imagined myself as anything but an artist.
Financial realities have also shaped my experience. For many years, I could do art only in my spare time—although I tried to apply my artistic skills in the work place. Before I was able to become a full-time artist, I worked in many creative areas, including:
- Advertising
- Making posters
- Graphic design
- Illustration
- Interior design
- Industrial design
- Naval design
- Art teacher
What might surprise people about your history as an artist?
I am self-taught. I have a website with paintings for sale and have been an art professor at prestigious universities and art institutes. However, I never took art classes or had any formal training.
I gained an artistic education on my own by dedicating myself to an intense training period. I read as much art literature as I could. I visited museums and galleries, exploring all the artistic styles I knew of. And then I applied what I learned. I painted photorealism. I also painted abstract art and tried to emulate the impressionists, surrealists, and cubists.
At the same time, I was constantly searching to find an artistic expression that was uniquely mine.
How is your art different from traditional Latter-day Saint paintings?
I try to break and expand the mold of what is considered sacred art in our church. Candidly, many Latter-day Saint artists were producing art similar to what was already created in the 18th century. It didn’t involve any innovation, and no other style was really accepted by the Church.
I would like to see artistic appreciation expand a little more. Artists of the new generations are adopting art that is more congruent with the technological and cultural advances of our century.
What is Jorge Cocco’s sacrocubism?
I paint in a style called sacrocubism that portrays religious ideas synthesizing or simplifying forms and shapes. The word sacro refers to the sacred, while cubism indicates that I have borrowed a visual language similar to the artistic style with the same name.
(If you will remember, artists like Picasso, Juan Gris, and Braque painted in a style called cubism because they used geometric shapes in their paintings.)
Why do you paint in the sacrocubism style?
The reason I paint like this has deeper philosophical reasons than just doing something innovative.
In my art, I try to minimize the description of the scene as much as possible. People, landscapes, and objects are represented with minimal details of the reality that we see with our eyes.
I do this because religious events contain a much deeper meaning that goes beyond history. It’s similar to the parables of Jesus Christ: the story is only a gateway to deeper and multi-level teachings. It’s like peeling an onion.
Color, geometric shape, rhythm, lines, and light and dark areas can communicate a spiritual sensation and produce an aesthetic enjoyment similar to music, which, even without lyrics, manages to move us and transport us to other places.
At least, that is what happens to me when I listen to Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, etc.
What artists most inspire your works?
Visual art helps me a lot. I find inspiration from primitive art to the most modern. But music is what manages to disconnect me from the material and mundane. I constantly listen to classical music while I work, especially Chopin and Bach.
What is your process like?
Regarding my creative process, I feel like there is an inexhaustible source of ideas in my mind. Once I get motivated by a topic, the scene spontaneously appears, and I can practically see it.
Sometimes, images arrive without me calling them. When I wake up, everything flows, and I have to decide which concept to work with.
My painting process typically follows this sequence:
- Pencil Sketch: I must look inward and record the idea in a pencil sketch.
- Detailed Drawing: I do a more rational examination and produce a more detailed drawing to refine the concept and work on composition, chiaroscuros, balance, etc.
- Canvas Painting: I begin to transpose the composition directly on the canvas.
Why do you think your style is enjoying such a welcome reception right now?
Many people, particularly religious viewers, are experiencing a maturation process in their appreciation of art. To appreciate my art, the observer needs to understand that I am not trying to copy objects or depict a moment in time as one would see it with their own eyes. Rather, I am trying to capture and represent the feeling of it.
In principle, I paint without documentary details of people, historical times, and places—which suggests another motive and intention in my work, which is for people to focus on the actual events or miracles, not the details around them.
Meditation invites inspiration.
The main protagonists in my paintings are shapes, colors—light and dark—all organized with a layout and rhythm congruent with the message I’ve chosen to deliver. This leads the observer to ponder the fundamental, spiritual purpose of the scenes I paint.
Its meaning thus transcends time and place.
My paintings don’t merely give people aesthetic moments or remind them of Sunday School lessons. Their most important purpose is to entice meditation on how a sacred event impacts our inner core, our daily lives, and our existence.
So, in that sense, as people become more spiritually mature, they will be more attracted to art that allows and catalyzes more meditation.
Meditation invites inspiration.
What does it feel like to see your art in so many places?
I feel as though the gift and purpose given to me when I came into this world are being fulfilled.
Many mechanisms of dissemination and consumption of my art are beyond my ability and control. Therefore, I am glad that people and institutions are taking their place in collaborating with artists by sharing and promoting art.
Aside from my ego, it fulfills me to know that my art has produced comfort, knowledge, joy, and aesthetic enjoyment.
What are the challenges of painting the Savior?
Painting Jesus Christ is a tremendous challenge. His mission goes far beyond what his physical appearance was like. So, it is very hard to make an acceptable likeness of him.
The full dimension of Christ is incomprehensible to our limited minds.
Have you ever learned something about Christ while painting?
Jesus’s lectures and sermons are inspiring. But when you have been working on depicting his image for a long time, it’s difficult to separate what is technically artistic—that is, proportion, gesture, light, shadow, etc.—from the greatness of the Lord’s ministry.
A sense of responsibility, smallness, and dignity is undoubtedly put into play when trying to paint certain scenes.
How do you think Christ engaged (and engages) with art?
Jesus Christ is an infinite source of inspiration. Written and spoken language has been an important tool for communicating His mission and message. However, images don’t need to be translated. Many of the prophecies and communications from Heaven come in the form of visions and dreams, not words.
Concurrently, His image transcends time, places, and cultures with great accessibility. He has inspired great artists to paint visual sermons that say more than full lectures.
What sacred event have you not yet found the inspiration to paint?
I think that the true dimension of the atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of all humanity in Gethsemane has not yet been properly painted—and never will be. It is impossible to capture all of it in a painting.
How do you hope people engage with your art?
Let it be consumed, seen, and published. Original works can be expensive, but there are low-cost digital and printed reproductions these days.
Criticism, opinions, and suggestions are always welcome.
Look at art more often and more consciously, and you will start to refine your taste.
Did you enjoy this interview?
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About the Interview Participant
Jorge Cocco Santangelo is an Argentinian artist who pioneered sacrocubism—an artistic technique that presents religious stories using a cubist style. The painter is a Latter-day Saint and his work has been celebrated across the globe. In addition to his prints, Cocco’s work has been featured in museums, on postage stamps, and on book covers. The artist’s work can be browsed on his personal website.
Further Reading
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- What Do AI Temple Paintings Look Like?
- Who Is Brandon Sanderson’s Art Director?
Jorge Cocco Santangelo Resources
- Jorge Cocco Prints (Artist’s Website)
- Q&A With Jorge Cocco, a Convert Who Caught Latter-day Saints’ Attention With ‘Sacrocubism’ (LDS Living)
- Byu Law School Unveils Artist Jorge Cocco’s New Paintings of Jesus Christ’s 7 Law-related Roles (Deseret News)
- Latter-day Saint Artist Designs Christmas Stamps for U.K.’s Royal Mail (Church Newsroom)
- Sacred Events from the Life of Christ (Church History Exhibit)
One reply on “What Inspires Jorge Cocco Art?”
As an Artist too, I love his master piece. Those inspired me a lot. I am serving oir church as Lay Minister for several years now.