Another motif that often crops up in my painting is processions. Public processions. I often used to take part in processions as a child, and these memories have never left me. I can even remember quarrelling with another kid over who had to carry the standard, or the crucifix or who got to swing the incense burner. I really liked swinging the incense burner, it made me feel important, because it was burning inside and I was spreading the scent of the incense. When they gave me the order to swing the burner I was the happiest boy in the world. And so in the paintings I paint nowadays, there's always a kid carrying an incense burner. And that's me. And so we're back to the auto-biographical narrative.
(Mario Lupo - "Story of life, story of painting”)

Ever since my first monograph, you can tell I'm addressing the theme of Christ. I did one in my youth. I think it was in '62 or perhaps '60. And another one right after I'd had an operation in 1974. After I'd recovered my first painting was of Christ, a yellow Christ.
(Mario Lupo - "Story of life, story of painting”)