Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Update on "Vatican Splendors" exhibit in Minnesota...

(Brendan)

I posted previously about a touring Vatican exhibition of rare art and artifacts that is coming to Minnesota, one of only three stops in the United States (here's the awesome Vatican Splendors website). I now have the details of when and where this exhibition will be. It will be at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, MN starting September 27. Here's an article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Vatican treasures coming to St. Paul

I previously couldn't think of where this exhibit would end up other than the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, but the Minnesota History Center certainly could handle the traffic. I didn't realize they had expanded their mission to include all history, not simply Minnesota history.

If anyone needs any incentive to go, how about a recreation of the tomb of St. Peter (the real tomb is located directly beneath the altar of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome) including a reliquary containing actual fragments of the bones of St. Peter himself!

2 comments:

Anthony Visco said...

Bravo Brendon,
I have told the folks at the Shrine in La crosse abut this exhibition. Perhaps a coordinated trip can be organized to see both places. The works commissioned by Archbishop Burke and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe clearly demonstrate that we have indeed turned the corner here. His Excellency has tacitly formed the American Academy of Sacred Art and Architecture in the bluffs of Wisconsin.

This in conjunction with the exhibit form an important moment. We still have a need to make it clear that the Church is not a museum. It has been so long that beauty has been used in the service of God that we now have a generatrion that when confronted with quality art relate it only to museums. With this in mind, we can first see these works from the Vatican as they come to us in a pilgrimage visit. We in turn, make a pilgrimage to see them. Secondly, at La Crosse, we can witness how the Church continues to use beauty for the Greater Glory of God through its art and architecture.

May both continue to inspire a new generation of liturgical artists and architrects!

Brendan Koop said...

Thanks Anthony for your comment! Might I add, for those who don't know Anthony, that I consider him the top Catholic artist in the country, and he's doing his part to reclaim sacred art in the Church. Check out www.anthonyvisco.org