The new statue
of Pope John Paul II, unveiled at Rome’s Termini station on May 18, on what
would have been the pope’s 91st birthday, has met with disdain. Designed and
made by artist Oliviero Rainaldi, the design for the statue got the green light
from a Vatican culture commission last year when it approved a sketch, which
many now say has little resemblance to the actual sculpture that was eventually
unveiled.
The statue has
politicians, tourists, locals and even the Vatican’s daily newspaper, Osservatore Romano, abuzz with disapproval.
The five-metre
bronze statue, located outside of Termini’s main entrance, features the late
pontiff sweeping open his cape. The statue was meant to highlight the beloved
pope’s all-embracing nature, says the artist, who told Italian media that many
had probably ‘misunderstood’ the concept.
Journalist at
the Osservatore Romano, Sandro Barbagallo, argued that the statue bears
‘only a slight resemblance’ to the Polish pope, who was beatified in Rome on
May 1. ‘We find ourselves confronted by a violent gash, like a bomb, consisting
of a cloak resembling a sentry box topped by an overly round pope’s head that
is tiny in comparison,’ said the journalist.
Rome’s mayor
Gianni Alemanno was also displeased with the statue, saying he may launch an
online vote to gauge the public opinion on the large work: ‘If public opinion
coalesces around a negative view, we’ll have to take that into consideration.’
