In the lagoon city, the exhibition with Maupal’s works opened to the public today to welcome the Pope who visits tomorrow 28 April
Salvatore Cernuzio – Sent to Venice
From the alleys of Borgo Pio in Rome to the streets of Venice, the street art by Mauro Pallotta, better known as Maupal, lands in the lagoon twenty-four hours after the arrival of Pope Francis in the city, Sunday 28 April. This morning in the complex of the former church of San Lorenzo, in the Castello district, it was inaugurated Venice: Habemus Papam, the exhibition with the works of the well-known artist which sees Pope Francis as the protagonist. From the first famous poster of the superhero Pope with the black briefcase of the “valoris“, to the images of the Pontiff confessing with headphones or playing volleyball with some children, crushing their hearts beyond the net of hatred (“hate”) or even drawing a dove, symbol of peace, on a wall in Rome, up to the five icons released during Lent 2024 by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development to accompany the Pontiff’s Message in the time of preparation for Easter.
The “steps” of the pontificate
“It is my journey dedicated to the Pope in these more than ten years,” an emotional Maupal told the public at the inauguration of the exhibition, created in collaboration with the Municipality of Venice. They are works created “through graphics that can be understood by everyone, even by a 4 year old”, he stated. They all “represent the various steps that Pope Francis has faced in recent years”. Present were Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and Cardinal José José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education and curator of the Holy See Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. “The Holy Father – said the cardinal – inspires us to meet other worlds, including that of art”.
(Video by Stefano Anella)
