Pope Statue.

A new statue of the late Pope was put up at a major train depot in Rome and apparently no one likes it. It's totally understandable. It's not elegant, it's not awe-inspiring. It doesn't depict the pope as the loving pope they had all grown to love, and frankly, it's a rather un-aesthetically appealing piece of art. When you think of Rome Statuary, you think of traditional renaissance style pieces, Mythic figures with a hand outstretched, beautiful carved marble images of saints bringing the good news; basically celebrations of mortal beings in an immortal medium.

This statue, however, seems to distance itself from glory. The face is forlorn, looking down at a gaping opening in the chest (if you can call it that). None of the symbols of the pope seem to adorn him. No holy cross or towering papal crown...It's not surprising people aren't happy with it...it's doesn't glorify the man they all loved.

I like it as a piece of art. Very monolithic, very stern. Very serious in a world in which religion is losing its grasp as a driving force in people's lives. But, I don't think it is a good tribute (if that's what it was supposed to be) to a man that loved people, and was loved greatly in return. It doesn't symbolize the Pope John Paul II that was the man we all knew. It doesn't remind me of him, it doesn't symbolize him, it doesn't put for the ideas that he stood for. As a social statement, I love it...as a tribute to PJPII, I believe it misses the mark. It all depends what was commissioned, and what the artist intended that proves this as a success or failure.