Vatican brings Genesis interpretation to Venice Biennale in return to arts patronage tradition

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican is getting back into its centuries-old tradition of arts patronage with its first-ever exhibit at the Venice Biennale, commissioning a biblically inspired show about creation, destruction and renewal for one of the world's most prestigious contemporary arts festivals.

The Holy See on Tuesday unveiled details of its Venice pavilion, which marks the Vatican's most significant step yet in a renewed effort to engage contemporary artists and intellectuals in ways that once created masterpieces such as the Sistine Chapel, rather than inadvertently inspiring blasphemous art like Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ."

The exhibit "Creation, Un-Creation, Re-Creation," which opens June 1, is not religious art: There are no crucifixes or images of the Madonna or sacred objects that might find themselves on a church altar. Rather, the works explore themes like creation that are important to the church and were executed by internationally recognized contemporary artists, including Czech photographer Josef Koudelka, who were given broad leeway to create.

The initiative is the brainchild of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's culture minister who quotes Hegel as easily as Amy Winehouse and has forged a new Vatican initiative of reaching out to atheists and people of other faiths in regularly scheduled panel discussions around the globe.

"This for us is a germ, a seed to return to the hope that there can be even more commissions between churchmen, ecclesial figures and artists — quality contemporary artists," Ravasi told reporters.

Ravasi has long lamented that the Holy See, whose artistic treasures fill the Vatican Museums and then some, has all but severed its ties with a contemporary art world that frequently finds in the Catholic Church inspiration for headline-grabbing, shock art rather than sublime works of beauty.

Remarkably, the Venice Biennale, which features pavilions for individual nations as well as a curated show of international artists, has provided a very visible venue for such "blasphemous" art ever since its inception.

In the Bienniale's 1895 first edition, the Patriarch of Venice asked the mayor of Venice to ban the exhibit's most talked-about work, Giacomo Grosso's "Supreme Meeting," which featured a coffin surrounded by naked women. Religious leaders feared it would offend the morals of visitors.

The mayor refused to take it down, and the picture went on to win a popular prize at the exhibition's end.

Church officials complained about the 1990 edition, when the American artists' collective Gran Fury, a branch of the gay activist group ACT UP, showed "Pope Piece," an image of John Paul II and an image of a penis. It was meant as a critique of the pontiff's opposition to condoms as a way to fight AIDS.

And in 2001, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan exhibited his scandalous "La Nona Ora," or "The Ninth Hour" — a life-size figure of John Paul being crushed by a black meteorite.

The Biennale president, Paolo Baratta, acknowledged Tuesday that the Catholic Church and the art world have long had a contentious relationship, noting that there was a time when Caravaggio paintings were considered blasphemous.

"This is a problem that I'm not going to solve," he told The Associated Press. "This is the problem of the coexistence of art and religion and faith."

But he said the Catholic Church had retreated and lost contact with the contemporary art world by remaining stuck in the "reliable" neo-Gothic, neo-Romantic, neo-Classical styles that are "perfectly coherent with religion."

"Every religion has to some extent switched off a bit its relations with art, not just the Cathoilc Church," he said. "It's time that all of them start rethinking their relationship with the creative artists and creative energy of the artist."

Australian-born painter Lawrence Carroll, who was commissioned to do the final installment of the show, "Re-Creation," agreed.

"This is vital, not just for the arts," he said. "I'm sure there was a lot of controversy within the church — that there were probably a lot of people who were against this thing, that it's foolish or wasteful or 'why are we spending money on something like this.' But I think it opens up a dialogue, and I think dialogue is important. It's a start. It's an invitation."

For its inaugural Venice commission, the Vatican picked three well-known artists and art groups and gave them a relatively simple source of inspiration: the first 11 chapters of the Book of Genesis. The text describes Creation, the introduction of evil, destruction and sin into the world, followed by hope for mankind in a renewed creation.

Being Catholic wasn't a criterion: Vatican officials said they weren't even sure of the artists' faiths. Rather, the artists were selected based on the body of their pre-existing work.

The Milan-based multimedia group Studio Azzurro was selected for the "Creation" part of the three-space exhibit: It features a darkened room with a mass of stone in the centre that when touched creates images and sounds that recall the animal and vegetable kingdoms.

Czech photographer Koudelka provided the "Un-Creation" section, a series of 18 photos and three triptychs exploring destruction: war, environmental degradation, and the conflict between nature and industry. Koudelka famously photographed Soviet-led tanks invading Prague in 1968 — images that were smuggled to the United States and published anonymously because of fear that his family would suffer reprisals.

The third installment, "Re-Creation," was given to Carroll, who often employs re-used materials in his work. He created a floor piece and four wall paintings, one of which has a freezing element that causes it to melt and refreeze cyclically.

To provide at least some reference point back to the Vatican's artistic patrimony, the exhibit opens with an homage by the 20th-century Italian painter Tano Festa to Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel and its depictions of Adam and original sin.

Micol Forti, head of the modern and contemporary art at the Vatican Museums, said her only regret about the Vatican's selection was that no female artists were included. Four were approached, but none was able to participate, Forti told reporters.

"Given the theme of Genesis and Creation, we would have wanted that voice reflected," she said.

The Holy See is one of eight countries being represented at the 55th Venice Biennale for the first time. In a coincidence, its pavilion is located in the Sale d'Armi, right next to the Argentine pavilion.

The Argentine-born Pope Francis, known for his humble ways and focus on the poor, hasn't shown a particular interest in liturgical art or music. Whether Ravasi's initiative continues remains to be seen, but his office was quick to point out that the €750,000 ($975,000) price tag — which includes the payment to the artists for their materials and fees Biennale organizers — was entirely covered by corporate sponsorship and private donations.

And the Vatican's presence at Venice isn't entirely out of the norm: The Holy See has a long history of participation in international exhibitions dating to the first World's Fair, the 1851 "Great Exhibition" in London. Ravasi said Tuesday the Holy See would likely participate in the Milan expo in 2015.

The Venice Biennale, which also features the famous summertime Venice film festival, runs through Nov. 24.

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Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

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Vatican brings Genesis to Venice Biennale art show

VATICAN CITY (AP) — VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican is getting back into its centuries-old tradition of arts patronage with its first-ever exhibit at the Venice Biennale, commissioning a biblically inspired show about creation, destruction and renewal for one of the world's most prestigious contemporary arts festivals.

The Holy See on Tuesday unveiled details of its Venice pavilion, which opens June 1 and marks the Vatican's most significant step yet in a renewed effort to engage contemporary artists and intellectuals in ways that once created masterpieces such as the Sistine Chapel and Bernini Colonnade.

Yet the exhibit "Creation, Un-Creation, Re-Creation" is not religous art: There are no crucifixes or images of the Madonna or sacred objects that might find themselves on a church altar. Rather, the works explore themes that are important to the church and were executed by internationally recognized contemporary artists, including Czech photographer Josef Koudelka, who were given broad leeway to create.

The initiative is the brainchild of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican's culture minister who was considered a papal contender in the conclave that elected Pope Francis. An Italian biblical scholar, Ravasi quotes Hegel as easily as Amy Winehouse — in multiple languages.

He has long lamented that the Holy See, whose artistic treasures fill the Vatican Museums and then some, has all but severed its ties with a contemporary art world that often finds in the Catholic Church inspiration for blasphemous art (think Andres Serranno's "Piss Christ").

Remarkably, the Venice Biennale, which features pavillions for individual nations as well as a curated show of international artists, has provided a very visible venue for some of that blasphemy ever since its inception.

In the Bienniale's 1895 first edition, the Patriarch of Venice asked the mayor of Venice to ban the exhibit's most talked-about work, Giacomo Grosso's "Supreme Meeting," which featured a coffin surrounded by naked women. Religious leaders feared it would offend the morals of visitors.

The mayor refused to take it down, and the picture went on to win a popular prize at the exhibition's end.

Church officials complained about the 1990 edition, when the American artists' collective Gran Fury, a branch of the gay activist group ACT UP, showed "Pope Piece," an image of John Paul II and an image of a penis. It was meant as a critique of the pontiff's opposition to condoms as a way to fight AIDS.

And in 2001, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan exhibited his scandalous "La Nona Ora," or "The Ninth Hour" — a life-size figure of John Paul being crushed by a black meteorite.

Art experts suggested the Vatican's initiative to have its own pavilion was perhaps a response to such perceived attacks.

"There is something about modern art that is resolutely secular," said Pepe Karmel, associate professor of art history at New York University and former art critic. "There is not a great deal of first-rate religious art from the 20th and 21st centuries."Ravasi, though, is intent on changing that.

"This for us is a germ, a seed to return to the hope that there can be even more commissions between churchmen, ecclesial figures and artists — quality contemporary artists," Ravasi told reporters.

For its inaugural Venice commission, the Vatican picked three well-known artists and art groups and gave them a relatively simple source of inspiration: the first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis. The text describes Creation, the introduction of evil, destruction and sin into the world, followed by hope for mankind in a renewed creation.

Being Catholic wasn't a criterion: Vatican officials said they weren't even sure of the artists' faiths. Rather, the artists were selected based on the body of their pre-existing work.

The Milan-based multimedia group "Studio Azzurro" was selected for the "Creation" part of the three-space exhibit: It features a darkened room with a mass of stone in the center that when touched create images and sounds that recall the animal and vegetable kingdoms.

Czech photographer Koudelka provided the "Un-Creation" section, a series of 18 photos and three tryptichs exploring destruction: war, environmental degradation, and the conflict between nature and industry. Koudelka famously photographed Soviet-led tanks invading Prague in 1968 — images that were smuggled out to the United States and published anonymously because of fear that his family would suffer reprisals.

The third installment, "Re-Creation," was given to Australian-born painter Lawrence Carroll, who often employs re-used materials in his work. He created a floor piece and four wall paintings, one of which has a freezing element that causes it to melt and refreeze cyclically.

To provide at least some reference point back to the Vatican's artistic patrimony, the exhibit opens with an homage by the 20th century Italian painter Tano Festa to Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel and its depictions of Adam and original sin.

Micol Forti, head of the modern and contemporary art at the Vatican Museums, said her only regret about the Vatican's selection was that no female artists were included. Four were approached, but none was able to participate, Forti told reporters.

"Given the theme of Genesis and Creation, we would have wanted that voice reflected," she said.

The Holy See is one of eight countries being represented at the 55th Venice Biennale for the first time, joining Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, Kuwait, Maldives, Paraguay and Tuvalu. In a coincidence, the Holy See pavilion is located in the Sale d'Armi, right next to the Argentine pavillion.

The Argentine-born Pope Francis, known for his humble ways and focus on the poor, hasn't shown a particular interest in liturgical art or music. Whether Ravasi's initiative continues remains to be seen, but his office was quick to point out that the €750,000 ($975,000) pricetag — which includes the payment to the artists and Biennale organizers — was entirely covered by corporate sponsorship and private donations.

And the Vatican's presence at Venice isn't entirely out of the norm: The Holy See has a long history of participation in international exhibitions dating to the first World's Fair, the 1851 "Great Exhibition" in London.

The Venice Biennale, which also features the famous summertime Venice film festival, runs through Nov. 24.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

View the original article here

Boston compensation mission brings Feinberg back to home turf

By Ross Kerber

BOSTON (Reuters) - Kenneth Feinberg, America's Solomon of catastrophe compensation, spoke in Boston on Tuesday on how the city can navigate what he called the biblical choices in getting money to victims of the April 15 bombings.

He also tamped down hopes of big payouts.

"There's not enough money here to pay everybody," the Washington mediation attorney told an open meeting held at the Boston Public Library, just steps from the site of the first of two blasts that killed three people and injured 264. "Lower your expectations," he said.

Local leaders so far have collected $28 million in cash and pledges for The One Fund Boston and tapped Feinberg - a native of nearby Brockton - as its administrator. Feinberg now faces what he said were "choices that come, I think, right out of the Bible in determining who gets what."

Drawing on his experience overseeing funds that compensated victims after events such as the September 11, 2001, attacks and the theater shootings in Aurora, Colorado, Feinberg ran a gathering that was part therapy session and part wealth-management seminar.

His main goal was getting input on how he should resolve difficult questions such as whether One Fund will pay benefits to victims who require mental healthcare - as the Aurora fund did not - or whether to give rich and poor victims the same benefits. Means-testing could provide more fairness, but could also take more time, Feinberg said.

Standing outside the library along Boylston Street afterward, Feinberg said running the other funds taught him to focus on outcomes.

"You have to hold these Town Hall meetings, you have to tell people what you can do and what you can't do," he said. "People want certainty."

Feinberg has already proposed that payments be prioritized for the families of the dead and the most seriously injured. Like other professionals, he is donating his time. He said JetBlue Airways Corp Chief Executive Officer David Barger offered him and a few staffers free trips to Boston. Big corporate donors so far include Manulife Financial Corp's John Hancock unit and AT&T Inc.

Feinberg plans to distribute all the money in the fund by June 30, a goal set when he was asked by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to take the job.

A fund organizer, Karen Kaplan, president of the Hill Holliday advertising firm in Boston, said One Fund was set up in part to avoid the compensation confusion that sprang up after the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, in December that left 20 students and six teachers dead.

Newtown officials identified more than 60 funds raising money on behalf of victims or projects after the tragedy. Families of some mass-shooting victims worried some funds were holding on to money unnecessarily and suggested creating a national fund for future incidents.

Some of those proponents praised Feinberg's Boston efforts.

"It's exactly what should happen," said Scott Larimer, whose son John died in Aurora. "You're going to use Ken Feinberg's formula for distribution. It's the money donated by the American public for sympathy and compassion and here's your money."

Tuesday's meeting in Boston drew a number of bombing victims who thanked Feinberg for his work.

One was Wayne Gilchist of Cambridge, who showed his two heavily bandaged wrists and hands at the meeting. One was injured during the bombing and the second in a seizure he said was brought on by psychological distress after the attack.

"It's putting so much stress on me," he said. One hand was broken "because of what I saw right outside this door."

Later he repeated one of Feinberg's points, that funds should be distributed quickly.

"It's got to be in a fast manner," he said. "The families are suffering. I'm suffering."

Also at the meeting was Bentley Mattier, who said he flew back to Boston from Atlanta to help his family after an aunt lost her leg in the attack. Like Gilchrist, he said sooner is better.

"I'd like for my aunt to be compensated immediately. Those hospital bills are coming in immediately," he added.

(Reporting By Ross Kerber in Boston. Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta in New York. Editing by Andre Grenon)

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Rain brings flood worries in Mo., Ill., Iowa

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Mississippi River, so low for much of the winter that barge traffic was nearly halted, could reach up to 10 feet above flood stage by the middle of next week in parts of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, National Weather Service hydrologists said Wednesday.

The weather service is predicting 3 to 4 inches of rain — and perhaps more — from Kansas City, Mo., to Chicago by Friday morning, the result of an unsettled weather pattern that prompted widespread tornado and thunderstorm watches. Soil is already saturated from an unusually wet early spring, raising concerns along the Mississippi from the Quad Cities, which are along the Iowa-Illinois border, south to St. Louis.

"I'm worried," said Mark Fuchs, a National Weather Service hydrologist in suburban St. Louis. "Major flooding appears to be on the table at a lot of locations. North of St. Louis, we're looking at the kind of flooding we haven't seen since 2008."

Floods in the spring of 2008 were particularly troublesome in Iowa, where hundreds of homes were damaged in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and other towns. Maren Stoflet, a hydrologist for the weather service in the Quad Cities, said that with the ground already soaked, all the new rain will run off into rivers.

The flooding is an ironic twist considering that the Mississippi was approaching record low levels all winter following months of drought. The Corps of Engineers worked feverishly to dredge the bottom of the river enough to keep barge traffic moving, though loads were limited for several months.

But late-winter snow and frequent rains have pushed river levels back to normal and beyond. The Mississippi on Wednesday was at or near flood stage at several spots north of St. Louis, slightly lower to the south.

The rain this week is expected to be furious at times, up to an inch an hour in some cases, Stoflet said. That could create flash flooding at smaller waterways. Tributaries to the Mississippi and Missouri rivers could also flood, and that water eventually pushes into the bigger rivers, which would crest next week.

Fuchs said if the rain falls as predicted, minor flooding would occur on the Missouri River in Missouri, while the Mississippi could rise 8 to 10 feet in some spots, including St. Louis.

Property buyouts, enhanced levees and flood walls will limit any damage, but several roads, thousands of acres of farmland and a few homes and businesses would be impacted and small levees could be overtopped.

Emergency management operators say they've begun to brace for the worst.

"I'll go into a full-scale flood fight," said John Hark, emergency management coordinator in Hannibal, Mo., the scenic hometown of Mark Twain.

The historic downtown area, including Twain's boyhood home, is protected by an earthen flood wall, and buyouts have removed flood-prone homes outside the wall's perimeter. But Hark said the excessive rain could create a sudden rise that would cause Bear Creek, a Mississippi River tributary, to back up, closing roads and threatening some homes.

About 30 miles to the south, Louisiana, Mo., has no flood wall. The downtown is far enough from the river that it is in no danger, but a flood reaching 8 to 10 feet above flood stage would push muddy river water over Highway 79 — the main north-south highway through town — and damage a few homes and businesses, City Administrator Bob Jenne said.

"We do have sand and all the bags already stockpiled in the event we need them," Jenne said. "Right now, it's wait and see."

Potentially worsening the flooding in the not-too-distant future is another strong snowstorm in the northern Plains, snow that will eventually melt and trickle into rivers. The newest system could drop as much as 15 inches of snow in western South Dakota by Thursday, forcing schools to close and making travel dangerous. It follows a weekend storm that dumped a single-day record 17.3 inches of snow on Bismarck, N.D.

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Storm brings much needed snow to Colo., Wyo.

DENVER (AP) — A spring storm is bringing much-needed moisture to parts of the Rockies and the Plains but winds are raising the wildfire danger to the south.

Rocky Mountain National Park has already gotten over 2 feet of snow and more is expected to fall through Wednesday. Southeastern Wyoming could also get up to a foot. It's also snowing in western South Dakota and Nebraska and the storm is expected to push into Iowa Wednesday night.

The storm has boosted the mountain snowpack and extended Colorado's ski season. Vail and Breckenridge ski resorts will open for an extra weekend.

However, parts of southern Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona are forecast to get only strong winds, making it easier for wildfires to spread in dried-out vegetation.

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