杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

The Apostolic Library is opening up to the public for the first time with a dedicated space for temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.

杏MAP导航 Francis inaugurated the new space on Friday evening, which was funded by the through the funds donated by the Board of the Kerkorian Foundation.

Beauty touches the soul

In a speech to participants in the event, the 杏MAP导航 reflected on the theme of beauty and how the Church must bear witness to the importance of beauty and culture.

鈥淏eauty,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s not a fleeting illusion of an appearance or of an ornament; rather, it is born from the root of goodness, truth, and justice, which are its synonyms.鈥�

He added that the human person needs both bread and culture, 鈥渨hich touches the soul, and which brings the human being to our most profound dignity.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis also encouraged the Apostolic Library to preserve the past while translating Christian history into new languages.

Humanity on its way

During his visit, the 杏MAP导航 also spent some time admiring a site-specific exhibition by Italian artist Pietro Ruffo.

The exhibit goes under the title 鈥淓veryone: Humanity on its way鈥�, recalls the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 encyclical Fratelli tutti, and turns part of the space into 鈥渁 lush tropical forest.鈥�

It offers a journey through historic artefacts from the Library, including charts and a 6-metre-long 17th century map of the Nile made by Evliya Çelebi, concluding with utopic and allegorical maps created by Mr. Ruffo.

Journey through human history and dreams

The exhibit, explains Don Giacomo Cardinali who oversees the new space, explores 鈥渘on-geographical cartography鈥�.

鈥淭hroughout the history of humanity,鈥� he says, 鈥減eople have used the representative power of the map not only to describe the objectivity of the Earth, but also our own interiority, ideals, journeys, discoveries, and convictions.鈥�

Mr. Ruffo, he adds, has put together an exhibit which will show the visitor 鈥渁llegorical, theological, satirical, and sentimental maps, as well as maps of desire and of protest, of humanity鈥檚 dreams and desperation.鈥�

In his speech, the 杏MAP导航 noted that humanity needs 鈥渘ew maps鈥� in order to discover fraternity, social friendship, and the common good.

鈥淎 closed-off mindset is sterile and full of uncertainty,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淲e need a new beauty which is not the usual reflection of the power of a select few but is a courageous mosaic of the diversity of all people.鈥�

The temporary exhibition will be open to the public until 25 February 2022 every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 6 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the .

Space for culture of encounter

According to Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Cardinal-Librarian of the Apostolic Library, the new exhibition space is meant to promote a culture of encounter.

鈥淥ne expects such a large library to help realize what 杏MAP导航 Francis has prophetically called a 鈥榗ulture of encounter鈥�,鈥� said the Cardinal. 鈥淚t is a place where books encounter readers to trace new paths, where knowledge preserved as memory may encounter the questions that modern life asks of us, and where history encounters the present, opening up new perspectives not only on what we have been but also on what we can become.鈥�