The Vatican's Apostolic Library set to host old and new art exhibitions to 'reflect diversity'
A new art space is opening in the Vatican with the aim of 'reflecting diversity'.
The Vatican's Apostolic Library - home to ancient manuscripts and rare books - will now house contemporary art exhibits in a combination of old and new.
Open to the general public from February, the inaugural exhibit, 'Tutti', is inspired by Pope Francis's 2020 appeals for environmental sustainability, greater human fraternity and a more just-socio economic order post-pandemic.
Rome-based artist Pietro Ruffo, who works on themes of maps and migration, has turned one of the library's halls into a tropical forest. Another room plays host to an ancient map of the Nile that Ruffo has made a contemporary reworking of.
Citing the need for new maps after COVID-19, Pope Francis said,
"In this epochal change that the pandemic has accelerated, humanity needs new maps to discover the sense of fraternity, of friendship and the common good.
"We need a new beauty, that isn't the usual reflection of power of some but a courageous mosaic of everyone's diversity."
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The exhibit is part of Pope Francis' vision of opening the Vatican up to the world. In this vein he has also opened the papal summer residence Castel Gandolfo as a museum to the public.
The subject-matter of the new artwork is in line with the many high-profile interventions on social justice issues Pope Francis has made since he was elected in 2013.
In October he co-signed a joint climate appeal with other faith leaders ahead of climate summit COP26 in Glasgow. This followed a speech earlier this year on global warming in which he stated 'creation is groaning'.
The pontificate has also urged Catholics to get the COVID-19 vaccine and backed a waiver on intellectual property rights during the pandemic.
The exhibit, which runs through Feb. 22, is open Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and provides visitors with a unique way to get into Vatican City that would otherwise be off-limits.
Visitors must request admission in advance online, and the 15 euro admission fee includes the catalogue.
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