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Otago Daily Times
29-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Halves make a whole
Gretchen Albrecht (b.1943), Cardinal, 1981, acrylic on canvas. Bought in 1981 with funds from the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society. Photo: Dunedin Public Art Gallery Gretchen Albrecht's (b.1943) Cardinal has a special place in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery's collection. It was acquired the same year it was made, in 1981, during her time as the Frances Hodgkins Fellow at the University of Otago. It is the first of Albrecht's hemispheres and stands as a key marker of the artist's distinctive visual language and a landmark in Aotearoa's art history. Piero della Francesca (c.1415/20-1492), The Resurrection, c.1460, fresco, Museo Civico di Sansepolcro, Sansepolcro. Photo: public domain At first glance, Cardinal might appear a straightforward yet compelling arrangement of purple and red in a semicircle format. However, in the art gallery's archives and collection, we can gain further insight into Cardinal's genesis and Albrecht's practice. A handwritten note accompanying a crayon sketch reveals the artist's deliberate calibration of word, meaning, form and image. Albrecht highlighted the dictionary definition for "cardinal", pointing to its "fundamental" and "important" implications — "on which something hinges". Albrecht's canvas hinges two parts together, bringing the violet and scarlet shades into conversation. Her notes reveal the symbolic associations of the colours of the robes of kings and cardinals (purple and scarlet). The contrast between the two colours found inspiration in Piero della Francesca's The Resurrection (c.1460) as Albrecht was struck by the "violet form curving over [the] scarlet/reddish shield" of the sleeping soldiers. Traces of historical European art are threaded together throughout Albrecht's career. During the late 1970s, Albrecht's travels to Italy influenced her conception and execution of Cardinal, as the Romanesque and Gothic architectural lunettes (semicircle shape) and Renaissance frescoes sparked creative impulse. Along with The Resurrection, Cardinal invokes elements of Piero della Francesca's La Madonna del Parto, a 15th-century fresco. This work features a pregnant Madonna gently placing her hand on her stomach, flanked by two angels who open the canopy, revealing the scene. The tear in the Madonna's dress mirrors the bifurcated canvas of Cardinal, where the two pieces are merged. Albrecht's division and subsequent union of the parts speak to the physical labour of birth and the duality of the mother/child relationship. The symbolism of the pomegranates in the canopy of La Madonna del Parto relates to Christ's Passion (his death), echoing the cyclical nature of life and death, and reflecting Albrecht's interest in dichotomies. Piero della Francesca (c.1415/20-1492), La Madonna del Parto, c.1460, fresco, Museo della Madonna del Parto, Monterchi. Photo: public domain Albrecht's artwork is energised by its rich layers of interpretation, giving colour, shape and gesture a painterly reality. Cardinal is on display in the "Fault Lines" exhibition at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Anya Samarasinghe is a curatorial intern at Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Pope Leo XIV issues passionate six-word plea to world's media
The new Pope has asked journalists to gather 'the voices of the weak who have no voice'. Leo XIV spoke passionately to a huge crowd of invited reporters and dignitaries inside the Vatican yesterday in his first news conference. At the start he quipped that he hoped everyone would 'stay awake to the end' of his speech. He said: 'Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred. Let us free it from aggression. 'We do not need loud, forceful communication but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice. Disarm 'Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world. Communication is not only the transmission of information but it is also the creation of a culture, of human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and discussion. 'We are living in times that are both difficult to navigate and to recount. They present a challenge for all of us.' He was interrupted several times with applause, cheers and chants of 'Viva Papa'. Thousands crammed into a huge auditorium to hear the new American pontiff. The hall is located right next to the lodgings he stayed in until he was elected on Thursday. Speaking in front of The Resurrection sculpture in the Paul VI Audience Hall, he urged the assembled press to say no to the war of words and images. The Pope also reiterated the Church's solidarity with imprisoned journalists 'seeking the truth' and demanded their release. Injustice He told reporters: 'You are at the forefront of reporting on conflicts and aspirations for peace, on situations of injustice and poverty, and on the silent work of so many people striving to create a better world. 'For this reason, I ask you to choose courageously the path of communication in favour of peace.' In his first Sunday blessing the pontiff called for peace in the war in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza. Pope Leo will now be formally inaugurated at a mass in St Peter's Square on Saturday. The King will be represented by Prince Edward. President Donald Trump has tried to claim credit for the election of an American pope, despite having nothing to do with his selection. Formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo was born in Chicago. It comes after Mr Trump said that he should be Pope and angered some Catholics by sharing an AI-generated picture of himself in the role.
The Journal
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Pope Leo XIV calls for release of imprisoned journalists and is invited to Ukraine by Zelenskyy
LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago POPE LEO XIV has been invited by Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make an apostolic visit to the country. 'Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people,' said Zelenskyy. In a post to social media, Zelenskyy said he held his first conversation with the new pope. Zelenskyy said he thanked Leo XIV for his support of Ukraine and that he 'deeply values' his calls for a just and lasting peace'. I spoke with Pope Leo XIV. It was our first conversation, but already a very warm and truly substantive one. I thanked His Holiness for his support of Ukraine and all our people. We deeply value his words about the need to achieve a just and lasting peace for our country and the… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 12, 2025 'We also discussed the thousands of Ukrainian children deported by Russia,' said Zelenskyy. 'Ukraine counts on the Vatican's assistance in bringing them home to their families.' Zelenskyy said he told Leo XIV that 'starting today, a full and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days must begin' and that he 'reaffirmed Ukraine's readiness for further negotiations in any format, including direct talks'. Meet the press Elsewhere, the new pope held his first audience with journalists from the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican this morning. He expressed his 'solidarity with journalists who are imprisoned for seeking to report the truth'. He added that the 'precious gift of free speech and of the press' must be safeguarded. The Audience Hall is just steps from St Peter's Basilica and the new pope spoke under the watchful eye of a sculpture called 'The Resurrection'. Pope Leo XIV addressing journalists from the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Vatican Media Vatican Media The sculpture is intended to capture the fear of living under the threat of nuclear war by depicting Christ rising from a nuclear crater. 'Suffering of imprisoned journalists' As well as being the first pope from North America, Leo XIV is also the first pope since Pope Adrian IV in the 12th century to come from an English speaking country. And while the new pope made a brief quip in English, the rest of his address was made in Italian – the working language of the Vatican. Advertisement When he appeared, there were chants of 'viva el Papa' and the applause lasted for over a minute. Pope Leo XIV jokes with applauding journalists during an audience with media professionals on Monday in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall. — Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 12, 2025 Leo XIV then said, in English: 'They say when the audience claps at the beginning, it doesn't matter much. 'If you're still awake at the end and you still want to applaud, thank you very much.' Then turning to Italian, Leo XIV called for the release of imprisoned journalists. 'Let me therefore reiterate the Church's solidarity with journalists who are imprisoned for seeking to report the truth,' said Leo XIV. 'I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives – the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed. 'The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community.' He also called on the press to use communication which 'does not seek consensus at all costs, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition, and never separates the search for truth from the love with which we must humbly seek it'. 'Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred,' said Leo XIV. 'Let us disarm words, and we will help disarm the world.' He added: 'The way we communicate is of fundamental importance. We must say 'no' to the war of words and images; we must reject the paradigm of war.' The new pope also called for the 'precious gift of free speech and of the press' to be safeguarded and remarked that 'only informed individuals can make free choices'. He also noted the 'immense potential' of Artificial intelligence but added that it requires 'responsibility and discernment in order to ensure that it can be used for the good of all, so that it can benefit all of humanity'. The new pope is a member of the Augustinian Order and quoting St Augustine he remarked: 'Let us live well, and the times will be good. We are the times.' He also thanked journalists for their work in covering the death and funeral of Pope Francis, the conclave, and his own first days in office. Meanwhile, he praised the media for moving 'beyond stereotypes and cliches through which we often interpret Christian life and the life of the Church itself'. Signing baseballs and blessing babies The first meeting with journalists can give a good indication as to how the new pope will carry himself. Related Reads Pope Leo XIV reveals reason behind papal name and visits Francis's tomb Yes, Pope Leo XIV has watched the hit film Conclave First Mass: Pope Leo says role of Church leader is to 'move aside so that Christ may remain' This morning, Leo XIV acted much more like Francis than Pope Benedict XIV. A clip has been doing the rounds on social media of Leo XIV attending a White Sox baseball game in 2005 and the new pope this morning signed a baseball that a journalist was holding. They found Pope Leo XIV on the White Sox World Series broadcast in 2005 (h/t @SoxOn35th ) — B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) May 9, 2025 And instead of exiting stage left as Benedict XVI did in 2005, Leo XIV left the audience hall by walking up the central aisle. The new pope blessed babies, accepted gifts, shook people's hands, and fielded a question from the Peruvian press – Leo XIV is a citizen of Peru having spent over 20 years in the country. When Benedict XVI greeted journalists for the first time, he waved mechanically and departed after around 15 minutes without greeting any individual reporters. Pope Benedict XVI waves after speaking to members of the media at Paul VI Hall in the Vatican on 23 April, 2005 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo But with Pope Francis in 2013, there was a very noticeable step change. He called for a 'poor Church for the poor' and explained that he chose his papal name because of St. Francis of Assisi, who Francis described as a 'man of poverty and a man of peace'. He also spoke about the conclave and revealed that one Cardinal approached Francis when he was elected and 'told me not to forget the poor'. 'And that word went in here,' said Francis, pointing to his head. But while Leo XIV kept to the script this morning, Francis spoke mostly off the cuff and was making jokes. He also greeted the service dog of a visually impaired journalist. Pope Francis pets a guide dog for the visually impaired during a meeting with journalists at Paul VI Hall. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Francis also offered a silent 'cordial' blessing to the journalists gathered, acknowledging that many gathered were not Catholic. 'Since many of you are not members of the Catholic Church, and others are not believers, I cordially give this blessing silently, to each of you, respecting the conscience of each, but in the knowledge that each of you is a child of God.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
