Pope Benedict Inaugurates Vatican Art Exhibit

Pope Benedict XVI recently inaugurated an art exhibit in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall. The title of the exhibit is "The Splendor of Truth, Beauty of Charity" ("The splendor of truth, the beauty of charity: Homage of sixty artists to Benedict XVI for the sixtieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood").

The idea to hold the exhibition arose from the Pope's meeting with artists in the Sistine Chapel on 21 November 2009. The exhibit will run from 4 July through 4 September. The artists participating in this initiative, most of them Italian, represent different categories: painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, literature, poetry, music, cinema, and jewellery design.

In his address as he opened the exhibit, the Holy Father noted that "the Church and artists are meeting and speaking together again, underlining the need for a discussion which wishes to become, and must become, increasingly intense and intricate. The aim of this is to offer the culture (or rather the cultures) of our time an eloquent example of fruitful and effective dialogue aimed at making this world of ours more human and more beautiful."

"I would like to renew a friendly and impassioned appeal to all artists," he continued. "Never separate artistic creativity from truth and charity, never seek beauty distant from truth and charity, but with your genius and creative drive always seek courageously after truth and bear witness to charity. Make the truth shine forth in your works, ensuring that their beauty arouses in the eyes and hearts of the people who admire them the desire and the need to make life, each individual life, more beautiful and true, enriching it with that treasure which never runs out, which makes life a masterpiece and each man an extraordinary artist: charity, love. May the Holy Spirit, architect of all that is beautiful in the world, illuminate you and guide you towards the definitive and ultimate Beauty."

Pope Benedict concluded his remarks by thanking the artists for "bringing into the world a ray of that Beauty which is God."

(from the Vatican Information Service)

Media reports:

Voice of America News: Vatican Revives Role as Premier Art Patron (18 JUL 11)

Rome Reports (via YouTube): Benedict XVI receives unique gifts from 60 artists to celebrate 60 years of ordination (7 JUL 11)

Rome Reports (via YouTube): Benedict XVI inaugurates exhibition and meets with artists in the Vatican (4 JUL 11)

Whispers in the Loggia: "To Make All Existence Beautiful and True": The Pope, on Art (8 JUL 11)

Background information:

Address of Pope Benedict XVI: Meeting with Artists, Sistine Chapel, 21 November 2009