Grace in Gold: The Liturgical Mosaics of the Aletti Center and fr. Marko Rupnick

This post first appeared on July 13, 2009. Don't forget to click on the images for closer views. Enjoy -- Nancie


One of the things I like best about doing this blog is that I am constantly learning about new things in the process. No sooner do I decide on a topic when Eureka! -- in doing the research I discover something completely new and wonderful.

Today, that discovery is Fr. Marco Rupnick and the Atelier at the Centro Aletti in Rome.

A few months ago, I happened upon the website of Sacred Heart University of Fairfield, CT USA. There, I found a treasure trove of images chronicling the installation of a series of liturgical mosaics that were remarkable for their beauty and scope. They were HUGE and covered thousands of square feet of wall space, much of it in tesserae of gold. More than that, the chapel was clearly designed FOR the mosaics -- creating space and light so that these works of art could inspire thought, contemplation, and devotion. As the website said, "The interior project . . leaves no doubt as to the building’s intended purpose as a place of worship – the new chapel will serve as the spiritual center of the campus."


Unfortunately, the photos above were all I could transfer from SHU's website. The majority -- covering everything from cartooning, to substrate preparation, to layout, to gold leafing -- are embedded in a slide show. I couldn't provide access here to either of the two excellent videos, either.

Rats. I like to think you folks come here for the words, but I know it's the images that provide the greatest value. So . . . what to do?More digging on the SHU website. Who was this master mosaicist, Father Rupnick, and the crew of 15 men and women from Europe who helped to construct the Chapel mosaic? Check that bio. That's when I struck gold. Lots and lots of gold.

Shrine of the Most Holy Trinity, Fatima, Portugal

Like SHU's Chapel, the glorious mosaic above is the work of the Centro Aletti, a learning center and mosaic atelier in Rome where Father Rupnick is the Director. The Centro Aletti is connected with the Pontifical Oriental Institute and serves as an educational facility dedicated to the advancement of studies on Eastern Christianity. Father Rupnick himself is a native of Slovenia and the cultural aesthetic of eastern Europe clearly informs all of the atelier's work which is done by priests and nuns. The result is art that is surprisingly fresh and modern even as it challenges ancient techniques and remains true to the traditions of iconography.

As always, there are links to everything noted here at the end of this post. In this case, they are very much worth your time to explore. For now, some eye candy.

Enjoy -- Nancie

From the website: "The terracotta on which the gold leaf is laid was handcrafted, so that gold tesserae may create a rich array of tones and nuances of colour. Movement is provided in different areas of the mosaic by ‘flows’ of gold tesserae, according to a pattern which adds further vibrancy to the surface, along vertical and horizontal lines."

The Basilica of the Rosary
Sanctuairie de Notre Dame de Lourdes, France

Christ's Baptism

Christ's Wound

Judas

From the website: "Only Judas’ hands are bare, and they hold a money pouch; he seems to be paralysed. He is the only one who is not in communion with the rest, and his face is partially hidden by his ruffled hair. Not to be in communion with the rest means to be isolated, and isolation leads to death. Life is guaranteed by communion, and communion only. Greed leads man to break communion and take flight."

Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration, Cluj, Romania

Cappella del Seminario di Badin a Banska Bystrica -- Slovakia

The Refectory at Centro Aletti

And now, for those links. There is much to see and learn from in each of them.

Sacred Heart University website (photos & videos) :
http://www.sacredheart.edu/pages/17602_chapel_artwork.cfm

Centro Aletti: (photos, videos, publications)Be sure to click"Spiritual Art"
http://www.centroaletti.com/index_ing.htm