Fragments

From scattered fragments it is possible to reconstruct, or at least to imagine,  the original wholeness of a thing: that is the sense of this second two-artist show by Susan Kanaga and Filippo Rossi in the exhibition space of Villa Via Sacra, home of the Mount Tabor Ecumenical Centre for Art and Spirituality at Barga. In this case the “fragments” represent faith experiences of the two artists – of Kanaga,  a USA Protestant, and of Rossi, an Italian Catholic -: experiences which in this special place can meet, interact and together raise a hymn of praise. The sensibilities are different, the joy is shared; diverse the styles, common both the desire to communicate and the clarity of the communication. Here “communication becomes communion, and the ecumenical purpose of this Tuscan house of the Community of Jesus emerges with moving force.

The fragments represent faith experiences. Every experience in fact is “fragmentary”, partial, and we have to put our many and different experiences in common to reach a unified vision. The vision will be complete  only in the life to come, when we see the Lord as he really is,  in the same way as we are seen by Him. We are in effect speaking of what medieval theologians called the Beatific Vision. Yet even now, even in its fragmentary state, the vision makes us holy and happy; the most extraordinary thing about Kanaga’s and Rossi’s installation is its festive solemnity , an authentic expression of the joy of the Spirit. It is in fact the Holy Spirit who transforms every fragment of earthly life into an anticipation of the life of heaven. (from the Catalog)