Vockenhuber Belonging

I always have many expectations when I go to the Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore every year, on the island of S. Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. I know well how many emotions the installations placed under this great Palladian dome have always given me, which seems to protect them in a big embrace and at the same time enhance them.

I often get there deliberately unaware of what awaits me in order not to contaminate the surprise and let the emotion flow freely without conditioning.

This time however it was more than stunning!

I was petrified in front of a work so profound in meaning, excellent in execution and with such an engaging visual impact, here we have gone far beyond all expectations.

I slowly approached without being able to say a word because it literally left me breathless.

The Austrian artist Helga Vockenhuber , with the support of her son the arch. Agidius Vockenhuber has created a work that is a perfect mix of creativity, depth of thought, technical ability and tenacity in execution.

These characteristics mean that the message contained in this work does not find much difficulty in reaching the soul of thousands of people who, with great curiosity, are preparing to examine it.

Certainly reading the explanatory text placed at the entrance to the Church helps a lot to better understand the meaning of the work and the spirit of the artist.

This imposing crown of thorns shattered into seven enormous pieces which are reflected on a reflective surface (which looks like a mirror) as if suspended above an abyss, convey a great suffering which does not concern only Christ but the whole of humanity which is reflected in this completely black veil of water.

The weaves, the decided twists and the reflections of the seven blocks seem to cry out suffering and invite the viewer to "reflect".

I would go much further, but I don't want to bore the reader who, if interested,   however, you can deepen your knowledge by browsing the sites:

www.helgavockenhuber.com

www.abbaziasangiorgio.it

Finally I want to thank the artist Helga Vockenhuber who with such simplicity and generosity allowed herself to get to know me, the curator Don Umberto Bordoni, the Director Carmelo A. Grasso and the very kind Miss Ildiko, without whom none of this would have been possible.