2024 Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Lanza Hall of the Pastoral Center, Milan
Materials: green marble from Guatemala – flower: Rose
Dimensions: cm. 300 x 140 x 3
The pleasure from art elicits reflections. The viewing of a work puts forward thematic insights related to the artist’s inner quest. Indeed, the expressive medium is not limited to a mere superficial display, because aesthetics is the primary, captivating impact, but it is desirable to go further to understand the message concealed in the artistic sign.
Maria Dompè’s inner landscape is thus revealed to the viewer who can interpret the spiritual content in the symbolism of the work. This process is similar to a story: it describes and communicates.
The viewer emancipates the simple sign, through the induced sensations, and transforms it into a purposeful message, a manifesto of intent. The triggering of this perceptual development is possible should one succeed in freeing the mind from prejudices, dissolving the fog of contaminated and contaminating thought, so as to discover oneself open, receptive, free to connect in harmony and affinity with the artist.
Maria Dompè chooses the metaphorical image of a labyrinth and explains it in her own words:
the Lanza Room is a place of collegial participation, creative elaboration and opinion sharing, where ideas are born to create new opportunities that are proposed to the community, guiding its evolution.
The exhortation, enclosed in the artistic message, is to never lose sight of the primary goal, to be aware of the concrete commitment to a moral and, above all, spiritual growth, not just personal but essentially projected toward the improvement of the entire community.
In the symbolism of the archetype: the spiritual significance of a Cross and the metaphor of a labyrinth with multiple inconclusive paths where only one is able to point toward the emblematic goal. A “Center” enhanced by concentric circles: a centripetal and centrifugal spiritual energy that expands from the Cross in every direction. The Cross contains a flower, indeed, the flower par excellence: the Rose. Synonymous with purity, beauty, fragrance, that is, all the advantages of a real “ambassador” of the enchantment of Nature and Creation. The red-colored Rose represents the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.
The true path is an initiation, the center is evolutionary attainment; the path must always be illuminated by the beacon of spirituality. Do not dissipate energy in apparent shortcuts or false routes, for the quest is always complex and the quality is proportional to the effort used.
There is also an environmental dimension limited in proportion, but deliberately rich in scenic potential.
The spiritual quest is a labyrinth of sensations and motivations, but only faith in the inspiring Higher Principle recognizes the personal and unique path to Truth. The Cross represented by Dompè, is an example of the Golden Principle, as the ultimate gift of a labyrinthine path of transcendent understanding and ethical and moral elevation: absolute love toward humanity, sublimating the act of sacrifice.
The marble bas-relief offers an elegant chromaticism in an intense green, with effective chiaroscuro contrasts. The thoughtful perspective view of the oval, desired by the artist, amplifies the depth and centripetal force. The perspective also of the Cross follows the viewer to all corners of the room, as a warning not to lose sight of the Higher Principle, creating a powerful emotional suggestion, together with the poetic image of simplicity and purity of a single red rose placed in the center of the work.
Dompè complemented the artistic proposal with what she calls a “participatory initiative,” that is, an active and purposeful co-participation of some of the University’s students, who were invited to write an idea, a quotation, a drawing, a thought, a vision, concerning urban greenery. The texts were presented in artistic form on the opening day under the title “the voice of a generation” – further evidence of the artist’s commitment to social and environmental awareness.
Pierre