Art Behind Bars: The Vatican Opens Biennale Pavilion in Venetian Women's Prison
As part of the Venice Biennale, taking place this year from April 20 to November 24, the official Vatican Pavilion "Through My Eyes" will be located in the women's prison of Giudecca, situated on an island in the Venetian lagoon. The Guardian reports that inmates of this correctional facility actively participated in its creation.
During the preparation of the pavilion, artists collaborated with inmates to reflect and showcase the faith of the Pope in the value of dialogue, solidarity, and brotherhood. The installation includes a 12-minute film about freedom directed by Marco Perego, featuring inmates as actors. Many inmates also provided their childhood photos for the work of artist Claire Taboure, while others wrote poems for the installation by artist Simona Fattal.
Additionally, in the prison's cafeteria, works by the late Corita Kent—a former Catholic nun, pop art artist, and American public activist—are displayed. Renowned Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan has created a "grand work of art in the sky" on the facade of the prison chapel—an extensive photograph of his own dirty, dusty feet, echoing Andrea Mantegna's painting "Lamentation Over the Dead Christ."
The pavilion was commissioned by Cardinal Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, who heads the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education. Pope Francis is expected to visit it on April 28, marking his first visit to the Biennale.
Ordinary visitors can also access the "Through My Eyes" pavilion, with strict safety measures in place. They must apply online in advance, provide their personal information, and surrender their mobile phones upon entering the prison.
Inmate guides will also accompany visitors. For instance, one of the premiere tours of the prison was led by three inmates dressed in bright uniforms of dark blue and white, designed and made in the prison's workshops.
It's worth noting that the Venice Biennale is one of the leading exhibitions of contemporary art, held every two years. It also includes the Venice Film Festival and the Venice Architecture Biennale.
In February 2022, the exhibition's organizers officially cancelled a Russian installation due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and on March 2, the Biennale pledged support for Ukraine's national pavilion, which temporarily halted preparations due to the invasion. The 2024 Biennale will also proceed without a Russian pavilion.