2013-05-15 17:30:29

U.S. artist commissioned by Vatican for Venice arts festival talks about his work


(Vatican Radio) American artist Lawrence Carroll was one of those commissioned by the Vatican to do an exhibit for Venice’s Biennale, one of the world’s most prestigious and cutting edge contemporary arts festivals. Carroll said he was delighted to have been commissioned by the Holy See to prepare an installment entitled “Re-Creation” for the festival. He spoke to Susy Hodges about the Vatican’s commission and shared his thoughts about his own life and the themes that have inspired his work.

Listen to the extended interview with Lawrence Carroll: RealAudioMP3

Asked for his reaction when first approached by the Vatican to prepare an installment for the Venice festival, Carroll admitted he was “surprised” but went on to say that he was pleased that he and the other artists were allowed to let their imaginations’ run free. “I need complete freedom with my work .. I felt that if I stayed true to what I do, then it would certainly be able to fit in with what they (the Vatican) were saying.

Carroll often employs re-used materials in his work and explains why he believes art is about continuous renewal or is in a way cyclical. “My work, for a long time, has been about the concept that “ideas and things and the possibility for them to have another life.” “Ideas,” he continued, “ can be carried from generation to generation (of artists).”

“You look at their work and you take away something with you and you try to unfold something they’ve given you, into your own work, in your own way, in the spirit of their work.”

Carroll’s installment for the Venice Biennale includes a large panel with electrical wires and light bulb sockets, some of them empty and some with light bulbs in them. It also includes a painting that has a freezing element that causes it to melt and refreeze cyclically.







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