Barbara Gata: Francisco, Vatican Museums and Art for All

Paulo Ondarza – Vatican City

A mandate to protect beauty because its strength helps the world to progress and advance towards the public good. This is what Francisco left the art world. The Bishop of Rome recommended that all forms of beauty remain a tool for preaching and comfort, which reaches everyone, which is a bridge between peoples and cultures. I wanted the museums, especially their “museums”, will be host places, for dialogue, as beauty will not be reflected in itself, but it has become a gift for everyone. The intention was immediately translated into events on March 26, 2015, when the Pope welcomed Sistine Chapel 150 homeless people who said, “This is your home, where the doors are always open to everyone.”

“For Pope Francis, art must be available to everyone,” the director of the Vatican Museums, Barbara Gata, reminds us of the Vatican: “He asked us to be an open house. We would like as soon as I expressed his idea of ​​art.

We have asked the first woman dear by Francisco to guide the Vatican Museums, which share a personal anniversary of the Argentine Pope: When I was appointed in 2016 the deputy director, then in 2017, and also on the occasion of the five renewal, three years ago, I spent a long time speaking, face to face … a unique relationship, somewhat, I will always have my heart. “

The Vatican Museums in Pope Francis’s thought enjoy a special profession: they should not be dusty groups in the past, not the institutions that aim to an elected fans …

Yes. In particular, in recent years, we renewed the museum, but also conceptual, about an apartment, Pope Francis has taken care of a lot: the Vatican Ethnological Museum, recently called “Anima Mondi”. It is the largest cutting museum, with more than a hundred thousand stored works stored in it. Not everything is clearly exposed, but they collect the testimonies of non -European civilizations, from the four continents outside Europe.

They arrived a hundred years ago: This year, a century of missionary exhibition in the Vatican of 1925, who wants Pius at the eleventh and that Pope Francis accurately resumed the concept of bridges that tend to different civilizations. Through this museum, which came to a visit several times, especially on the occasion of the opening of the first section devoted to Oceania, we asked us to be a “open house”, that “we created bridges”, and that we were a place where all visitors, who come here from everyone, could find their roots and a spiritual journey.

Barbara Gata, Director of the Vatican Museums. (Average Vatican)

Francisco met artists on several occasions: in 2023, in the Sistin Church, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his collection of modern and contemporary art, commissioned by Paul VI; Then in Venice, every two years in 2024When the Apostolic Chair Wing was installed in the Women’s Prison in Giudecca. What is the memory of this meeting with the Pope?

Pope Francis is unusual because he has a great ability to dialogue and interact with people and those who, cited the words of St. Paul VI, are “prophets and poets” and have more sophisticated sensitivity and spiritual.

Personally, I faced this direct sympathy with the artists in that historic meeting 50 years after the creation of a group of modern and contemporary art that San Pablo VI wanted on June 23, 1973, ten years after their choice.

Pope Francis resumed this dialogue, took the words of St. Paul VI in several times, and updated them in his vision, and in his ability to associate.

I saw artists, even those who are not a strict Christian recognition, with tears in the eyes, happy and proud that they had been told in the group that with the Cardinal Jose Tlentino de Minducona, we help in choosing. Moreover, the powerful power of Pope Francis, which was seen in GiudeCca in the elections, which Cardinal Tolinino desires, to host every two years in the “last” place, in fact, “the last”. If I am allowed to say, it is the “last” more than the “latter”. The idea of ​​how this two years is completely compatible with seeing art according to Pope Francis.

On the opening sign, the relationship between Pope Francis and art was distinguished by the beacon and the important openings of the previously closed palaces in front of the audience. I think about the Castle Gandolfo’s Apostle Palace to the side palace. Share the church treasure with everyone …

Yes, not only for the church, but from the Pope: I think especially at the Castal Gandolfo Museum Center with Antiquariumthe Vatikan fans, But above all in sharing the papal palace, a few months after its choice. A magic place not only for his artistic history, by Bernini, Madrino and many, but also magic from a natural point of view.

The Pope meeting with the artists during his pastoral visit to Venice on April 28, 2024. (Vatican Media)

Finally, Francisco also wanted to participate with the general public, a very important work that is usually kept in the Pope’s private library: the resurrection of Christ in Peruzino, which was devoted in 2023 “Peruzino” exhibition. Was this gesture very important?

Yes, the Holy Father asked us if we could participate during the 500th anniversary of Perujino’s death a masterpiece of art and faith, but above all a masterpiece that also witnessed a lot of history in recent decades. Absolute masterpiece of Pietro Vannuccci, from the first years of the sixteenth century. Perugino maturity, who died in 1523.

We also shared with our visitors a photo exhibition for all the brilliant men of history, the greats of the land, the heads of state and the government, who came to attend with the Popes – from Paul VI to John Paul II to Pope Francis – with the background of this masterpiece. Two years ago, we found the appropriate way to celebrate the national people and Easter. Today we remember this with emotion: It is not a coincidence that Pope Francis had left on Easter on Monday. In this jubilee of hope is a very strong sign of hope in the resurrection. He is with us. He is still with us today.

Pope Francis and worked “the resurrection of Christ” from Perujino.