2023-06-24 01:57:44
This morning Pope Francis received artists from all over the world in the Sistine Chapel on the occasion of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Modern Art Collection of the Vatican Museums. “I feel that they are allies in so many things that matter to me, such as the defense of human life, social justice, the last, the care of the common home, feeling that we are all brothers,” he told them.
Vatican News
Here everything is art, there, you, everyone!
With these words, Pope Francis welcomed, on the morning of Friday June 23, in the exceptional setting of the Sistine Chapel, artists from all over the world for the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Collection of Modern Art. of the Vatican Museums.
It was Pope Paul VI, the architect of the first meeting with painters, sculptors, architects, writers, poets, musicians, directors and actors to renew the friendship between the Church and art.
“The Church – recalled the Pope beginning his speech – has always had a relationship with artists that can be defined as ‘natural and special’. It is a natural friendship because the artist takes seriously the inexhaustible depth of existence, of life and of the world, even with its contradictions and its tragic sides”.
“The artist reminds everyone that the dimension in which we move is that of the Spirit,” the Pope also observed. “Your art is like a candle that fills with the Spirit and makes us move forward. For this reason, the friendship of the Church with art it is something natural. And it is also a special friendship, he explained, due to the stretches of history covered together, which belong to the heritage of all believers and non-believers”.
The Pope arrives at the Sistine Chapel for the audience with world artists
Like children, bringing newness to the world
Continuing his speech, the Bishop of Rome referred to a phrase by the Italian theologian Romano Guardini, who said that while creating, the artist resembles a child and a seer. He makes use of the spontaneity of the child to move in the space of invention, of novelty, of creation, and of the sharpness of the seer who captures reality. And recalling the words of a great thinker like Hannah Arendt, he affirmed that “the characteristic of the human being is to live to bring something new to the world. This is the dimension of man’s fertility, to contribute novelty”.
The artist’s creativity thus seems to participate in the generative passion of God. That passion with which God has created us. You are allies of God’s dream! They are eyes that look and dream. It is not enough to look, you have to dream.
And also, having the ability to dream new visions of the world and to introduce novelty into history, the artist also resembles the seers.
Called to withdraw from the supposed artificial beauty
“They are a bit like the prophets, the Holy Father specified. They know how to look at things in depth and in the distance, like sentinels that narrow their eyes to scrutinize the horizon and probe reality beyond appearances”.
In this they are called to escape the suggestive power of that supposed artificial and superficial beauty so widespread today and often an accomplice of the economic mechanisms that generate inequality. That beauty does not attract because it is a beauty that is stillborn. It is a fictional beauty, a cosmetic beauty, a make-up that hides instead of revealing.
Pope Francis in audience with world artists in the Sistine Chapel
“I feel you are allies in so many things that matter to me”
The role of the artist – the Pontiff indicated – is precisely the opposite: “your art wants to act as a critical conscience of society, removing the veil of obviousness”, revealing reality even in its contradictions.
Like the biblical prophets, using resources such as irony and a sense of humor, they put us face to face with events that disturb us, criticizing today’s false myths, new idols, banal speeches and the tricks of power, says the Pope . And often they do it with irony, a wonderful virtue so present in the Bible.
In this matter of being seers, sentinels, critical consciences, I feel that they are allies in so many things that matter to me, such as the defense of human life, social justice, the last, care for the common home, feeling that we are all brothers. I care about the humanity of humanity, that human dimension of humanity. Because it is also the great passion of God.
The art that transforms and helps to see the beauty that saves
One of the things that link art and faith is the fact of disturbing a little: “Art and faith cannot leave things as they are: they change them, transform them, convert them, move them. Art can never be an anesthetic; it gives peace, but it does not numb consciences, it keeps them vigilant”.
Francisco then recalls that “we are not just light, and you, he tells the artists, remind us of it.
But it is necessary to shed the light of hope in the darkness of the human, of individualism and indifference. Help us glimpse the light, the beauty that saves.
In a time of ideological colonization by the media and of lacerating conflicts and of a homologous globalization that coexists with so many closed localisms, “artists can help give space to the Spirit” the Pope assured and added:
When we see the work of the Spirit, which is to create harmony out of differences, not to annihilate them, not to make them uniform, but to harmonize them, then we understand what beauty is. Beauty is that work of the Spirit that creates harmony.
The Pope in audience with the artists in the Sistine Chapel reads his speech
Do not forget the favorites of Christ, the poor
Finally, an exhortation:
“I would like to ask you not to forget the poor, who are the favorites of Christ, in all the ways in which one is poor today. The poor also need art and beauty. Some experience harsh forms of deprivation of life; that is why , they need it more. They usually do not have a voice to be heard. They can become interpreters of their silent cry.
Francis thanked the artists present and expressed his esteem for them, wishing that their works be worthy of the women and men of this earth and give glory to God, who is the Father of all and whom all seek, also through art. .
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