Holy See Pavilion at Venice Art Biennale seeks to 'turn our eyes back to reality'

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

The Holy See Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition – Venice Biennale—to go on display in the Giudecca Women’s Prison—will illustrate the ability of inmates to welcome art to transform their lives.

This was the message conveyed at the press conference held at the Holy See Press Office on Monday regarding the Pavilion, which will take place in the northern Italian city from 20 April to 24 November 2024.

The project is unprecedented  for the Venice Biennale, thanks to its physical and conceptual installation inside the Giudecca Women's Prison, which will host the Pavilion.

Presenters at the press event were Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education; Giovanni Russo, head of the Department of Prison Administration of the Ministry of Justice of the Italian Republic; Dr. Chiara Parisi, curator of the Holy See Pavilion; Dr. Bruno Racine, curator of the Holy See Pavilion; and, Dr. Paolo Maria Vittorio Grandi, Chief Governance Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo, an Italian bank.

'With My Own Eyes'

Entitled “With My Own Eyes,” the Pavilion is dedicated to the theme of human rights and people living on the margins of society, and seeks to draw the world’s attention to those people who are largely ignored while fostering a culture of encounter.

The Holy See Pavilion invites the viewer to take Pope Francis’ words literally, as he invites everyone to look others directly in the eyes, looking beyond their social status to encounter their humanity.

"Contemporary culture prefers to metaphorize sight," said Cardinal Mendonça. "But seeing with one's own eyes gives vision a unique status, as it directly involves us in reality and makes us not spectators but witnesses."

The 2024 Art Biennale of Venice bears the title “Foreigners Everywhere” and will be open from April 20 until November 24.

Pope Francis' April visit to the Pavilion

Pope Francis will make a one-day pastoral visit to Venice, where he will make a stop at the Exhibition, making him the first Pope in history to attend the Venice Biennale. 

The Holy Father will take a moment to appreciate the  Pavilion at the exhibit in the Prison, and will spend some time with members of the Church community in Venice.

The full schedule of the Pope’s visit, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça told the journalists present, will be released in the near future.

Press Conference releases details

During the conference, Cardinal Mendonça said, "It is with great joy that we welcomed the news of Pope Francis's visit to the Pavilion."

"It will be a historic moment," the Cardinal Prefect underscored, "as he will be the first Pope to visit the Venice Biennale, which clearly demonstrates the Church's willingness to consolidate a fruitful and close dialogue with the world of arts and culture."

The Cardinal stressed that it is no coincidence that the Holy See has chosen to present its pavilion at the Venice Biennale in a seemingly unexpected place, such as the Women's Prison on the island of Giudecca.

He added that neither is it a "coincidence that the title of the pavilion, 'With My Own Eyes,' aims to focus our attention on the importance of how we responsibly conceive, express, and build our social, cultural, and spiritual coexistence."

Gospel according to Matthew

Regaining the ability to look at reality as a starting point for redesigning it, he noted, is what Pope Francis stressed during his meeting with artists in June 2023 in the Sistine Chapel, when he urged artists to "have the ability to dream new versions of the world."

The year in which the Art Biennale celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Prefect also pointed out, also marks 60 years since the first showing of Pier Paolo Pasolini's film "The Gospel According to Matthew," which was first screened in Venice. In this context, the Cardinal recalled that Chapter 25 of St. Matthew's Gospel, which begins, 'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...,' remains "one of the most commented biblical texts by Pope Francis" throughout his pontificate.

Before concluding his remarks, Cardinal Mendonça expressed his gratitude to the Italian authorities, the Ministry of Justice represented by the Head of the Department of the National Penitentiary Administration, the curators, all collaborating in the realization of the pavilion, the Patriarchate and Patriarch of Venice, and the Dicastery's main partner, the Intesa Sanpaolo Bank.

Art to reconstruct lives

Meanwhile, Giovanni Russo, the president of the Department of Prison Administration of Italy's Ministry of Justice, welcomed the occasion, stressing that artistic work and commitment help inmates rebuild their lives.

"Calling our detainees to, with their hands, participate, has put them in contact with universal values, such as solidarity, and helps them have confidence in themselves."

"They were called," Mr. Russo observed, to be "protagonists," in a way "that connected them with universal values" and "with great spiritual and practical value." 

Former convent to help struggling women

Moreover, Dr. Racine, one of the Pavilion's curator, discussed the Pavilion itself, and recalled that the women's prison had before been a convent that had helped women rediscover their dignity through the Church's help.

"It is a historic place, with a very beautiful history," he stressed.

The Pavilion's other curator, Dr. Parisi, also discussed its work to include the spontaneous contributions of inmates, illustrating how their involvement greatly enriches the venue.

Lastly, Dr. Paolo Maria Vittorio Grandi, Chief Governance Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo, spoke of the bank's great dedication to art, explaining various initiatives, in which they promote this culture.

"This is not a matter of philanthropy, but rather part of what it means to be part of the group of Intesa Sanpaolo."