As I do some research on the theme of “Sacred and Liturgical Art” I took hold of John Paul II’s Letter to Artists (April 1999). Towards the end of this Letter, John Paul makes an appeal to Christian artists “to use your creative intuition to enter into the heart of the mystery of the Incarnate God and at the same time into the mystery of man.” Indeed, it is a lofty vocation for the artists not only to be true to themselves in manifesting their talent and genius but also to go beyond all that and bring us all into some experience of transcendence. John Paul challenges them: "it is up to you, men and women who have given your lives to art, to declare with all the wealth of your ingenuity that in Christ the world is redeemed: the human person is redeemed, the human body is redeemed, and the whole creation which, according to Saint Paul, “awaits impatiently the revelation of the children of God” (Rom 8:19), is redeemed. The creation awaits the revelation of the children of God also through art and in art. This is your task. Humanity in every age, and even today, looks to works of art to shed light upon its path and its destiny. "Serendipitously, as I reflected on these words, I also chanced upon a news article from zenit.org reporting a recent interview with Dony Mac Manus, founder of the Irish Academy of Figurative Art in Dublin and the Dony Mac Manus Studios In Florence, Italy. In this interview, Mac Manus admits that the theology that most informs his art is John Paul II's theology of the body. Here are some excerpts of the interview:
ZENIT: Has John Paul II's theology of the body continued to inform your work?
Mac Manus: When I first was introduced to theology of the body, I started to understand what it meant to be a man, to be fully human, and how this identity is fundamental to how I relate with other men and women, and how I relate to God as a Christian. Since that introduction to theology of the body in 1999, it continues to inform my work.In the words of John Paul II, "Christ reveals man to man." I think, as an artist, I could not possibly ask for more. If an artist sees that his mission is to reveal man's worth, dignity and destiny, as I believe it is, then this short revelation of John Paul II is all you need to put yourself on the right track.If Christ reveals man to man, and he does this through his own body and our own bodies, then this explains why Christ has been the central figure of art for so long. It also explains why it is necessary to return Christ to that central place if we are to reclaim our own true culture and identity.
ZENIT: On your Web site you state that the human body is the most expressive tool to communicate the human condition. What do you mean by that?
Mac Manus: With this expression I mean to depict every aspect of being human. I see the human body as the ideal instrument to communicate this condition, as the body is designed to do just that.I understand my own condition, and the condition of other humans, in and through my own body and theirs. As an artist, I strongly believe in the communication of what it means to be human. I realize it is my responsibility to finely tune my capacities to communicate this reality in my work, with maximum fluidity, so as to minimize the interference of artistic incompetence -- be it anatomical, sculptural, drawing -- in the communication of the message.
ZENIT: One of the key themes of John Paul II's writing was that a person must never use or treat another as a mere means to an end. How do you, as an artist, whose favorite subject is the human body, guard that your models, whether a man or a woman, do not experience being used to further your art?
Mac Manus: This is a very interesting question and I am very glad you asked it because it forces me to think about it. I think it is purely a question of intentions, which is an overflow of an interior disposition. One can see another human person with purity of heart and not objectify the person. That positive intention is also communicated through our body language and is perceived by the other with great clarity. This is the manner I believe that both professional and personal relationships can be built.
ZENIT: Is art becoming, or has it already become, merely the superficial consumption of impressions? If so, how can those of us who are not fine artists, educate our own eyes and the eyes of others, especially youth, to look for art worthy of the human observers that we are?
Mac Manus: A lot of art has become very superficial and relativistic, leading to a lot of boring self-referential navel gazing. This results from a loss of a true focus on the only source of "the way, the truth and the light." It has led to truly tedious artistic manifestations.
Put it this way, if I were to describe my exhibition either as "Dony Mac Manus: An Artistic Self-Exploration of a 38-year-old Guy From Dublin," or as "A Contemporary Artistic Exploration of the Human Condition Through the Works of the Greatest Artists in History," by Dony Mac Manus, most sane people, if they could choose, would choose the latter.
They would do this as it invites one to explore the vast richness of our collective cultural heritage, and in this way to learn what one can, and apply this to what is relevant to the present.In other words, art is first and foremost a language. Language is born from thought. If we are to understand true art, we need to understand true thought. A healthy grasp of philosophy and theology can go a long way in penetrating the meaning of who we are.With this understanding of the human condition we can aspire to reaffirm this vision of the human in cultural life, whether it be in the production or consumption of art.
(…)
ZENIT: John Paul II wrote in "Laborem Exercens" (On Work), that all human work is a moment of revelation of the person, and is a natural way in which all persons can build him or herself up and to make a world worthy of himself. Do you see your work as an artist in this way? Specifically, what does your work tell the world about Dony Mac Manus?
Mac Manus: Yes, I do see my work this way. My work tells the world that Dony Mac Manus does not really care what people think about his art. The only thing I care about is that I can articulate what I believe the world needs from the collective heritage we have. I want to sensitize myself to what is most beautiful and draw it out of this vast wealth and have it communicate with a contemporary audience so as to give hope through beauty.
Mac Manus: Yes, I do see my work this way. My work tells the world that Dony Mac Manus does not really care what people think about his art. The only thing I care about is that I can articulate what I believe the world needs from the collective heritage we have. I want to sensitize myself to what is most beautiful and draw it out of this vast wealth and have it communicate with a contemporary audience so as to give hope through beauty.
