Notable curators, Chiara Parisi and Bruno Racine, worked on the Holy See Pavilion, home to the works of Maurizio Cattelan, Bintou Dembélé, Simone Fattal, Claire Fontaine, Sonia Gomes, Corita Kent, Marco Perego & Zoe Saldaña, and Claire Tabouret.
Visitors are welcomed by a mural by Maurizio Cattelan, who over 20 years ago authored the hyper-realistic sculpture ‘La Nona Ora’ (‘The Ninth Hour’, 1999) depicting Pope John Paul II struck by a meteor. The mural, on the facade of the prison’s chapel, depicts two feet that recall Mantegna’s Dead Christ and Caravaggio’s humble barefoot pilgrims – setting the tone of this fascinating and complex installation.
There are currently around 80 inmates residing in this prison, with approximately 25 actively participating in the artists’ works. Some residents were also trained to lead the guided tours of up to 25 people at a time. Their active role in this exhibition introduces the idea of reconnecting with the outside world and re-introducing themselves into society through the arts.
Flint Culture’s Account Director and project lead, Nadia Bonini, said: “This year’s Biennale theme is ‘Foreigners Everywhere’ and the idea behind this Pavilion is that nobody is more foreign than someone being alienated by society.”
The symbolism of this pavilion’s concept is omnipresent. The choice of venue – despite its logistical and security constraints – is at the core of the rationale. It’s a place where different worlds within society collide in unexpected ways. Here, art is the medium challenging conventions, bridging gaps and breaking down preconceptions. Chiara Parisi said: “The reality of the prison meets the boundless expression of art, and the two worlds are seduced by each other.”
As Bruno Racine explains, “The location choice is a manifesto, a statement. Artists from various backgrounds and without distinction of faith come together in this place to bear witness to a universal message of inclusion .”
The pavilion’s title ‘With My Eyes’ as explained by His Eminence Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça suggests “a move towards a different cultural direction, questioning the reality of our time, where the human vision is increasingly deferred and less direct, prisoner of the artifice of screens and the explosion of digital devices.” Visitors are required to leave their mobile phones and belongings at the entrance, allowing them to experience the visit with their eyes, undocumented and without distractions.
For the first time in history, the Pope attended the international exhibition on 28th April. He met with the organisers of the Holy See Pavilion and inmates, praising them for their contributions and sharing messages of hope.
Our team organised international press tours, VIP invites, coordinated international outreach and translation work, generating high coverage for the event across international publications, including The Telegraph, The Guardian, The New York Times and Vanity Fair.
This fascinating installation showcases the immense power of arts and culture in building bridges within society, fostering healing through the arts and enabling people from all backgrounds to start anew. This high-responsibility project embodies our company mission of delivering impact through culture, and we were honoured to have been part of it.
The exhibition is open to the public until 24 November 2024. Register your interest on the Biennale website: https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2024/holy-see
In September, choreographer Bintou Dembélé will work closely with the prison’s residents to celebrate their resistance and independence through a dance which will be later performed at Palazzo Grassi.
