“We must be bold enough to discover new signs and new symbols, new flesh to embody and communicate the word, and different forms of beauty which are valued in different cultural settings, including those unconventional modes of beauty which may mean little to the evangelizers, yet prove particularly attractive for others.”
~ Evangelii Gaudium, 167
This quote from Pope Francis' first apostolic exhortation encapsulates the vision and mission for the first Delegate of Culture, appointed by the archbishop of Malta, Charles J. Scicluna.
Monsignor Claude Portelli, a priest since 2002, was named the delegate for this institution that will focus on interdisciplinary practice, interfaith dialogue, and intercultural exchange, as well as international reach.
One of its first tasks is renovating and refurbishing the Catholic Institute in Floriana, to transform it into a cultural hub. In the meantime, the Delegate’s office is working closely with Malta’s artistic community to create a cultural calendar that will complement the regenerated building.
The depiction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary somehow embodies the center's work, as the painting was itself found in a store room of the Institute and then refurbished.
It is in fact the work of Emvin Cremona, one of the most influential modernist painters in Malta, who was particularly prolific in sacred art painting.
"I found the painting here, I restored it as it was in a store room," Monsignor Portelli explained. "It’s a 1951 painting ... a quite a unique piece of art and the only one done by [Cremona] with both figures of the sacred heart of Mary and Jesus."
The office of the Delegate for Culture is taking on different roles within several initiatives and areas. These will include commissioning, supporting, and launching projects among various partners and with the support of some of Malta’s most influential cultural exponents.
