Gospel in Art: I was naked and you clothed me

Mayday Mayday, the Raft of Human Rights, Street painted and drawn by Cuboliquido (born Milan, 1974), Chalk crayons on pavement, 2013 © Cuboliquido / Chalk Festival Sarasota

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 27 February 2023
Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said to his disciples: 'When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.

'Then the King will say to those on his right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me."

Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?" And the King will answer, "I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."

'Next he will say to those on his left hand, "Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me." Then it will be their turn to ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?" Then he will answer, "I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me."

'And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.'

Reflection on the 3D Street Art Work

Every year since 2010, Sarasota, USA, has hosted the 'Chalk Festival', where it celebrates the world's most talented pavement artists. Today's 3D optical illusion is made just with coloured chalks on a street. Pavement artists use the road surface as a canvas to develop oversized works of art. We have all seen them in cities around us. There are quite a few really good artists at work here in Rome, mainly working along the busy tourist streets. In fact, this art form is thought to have originated in Italy already during the 16th century, but little is known of its origins. What makes pavement art unique compared with other art, is that there is no permanence. These works are created for one moment, admired, spoken of, and then disappear because of rain, traffic, pedestrians, etc… I have always been a great admirer of artists who don't create works only for commercial reasons, but who create these beautiful works for the joy of making them to be admired by others. They are a free gift from the artists to us. So it is nice to give them something as token of support and appreciation.

Our artist today (creating this work in 2013 for the Sarasota Chalk Festival) came up with an intricate idea that makes the images of refugees on a raft appear to rise above the pavement, from the particular vantage point that the photo was taken from. In today's reading Christ says 'I was naked and you clothed me'. These words are especially appropriate for all the refugees in the world escaping horrendous wars and trying to improve their lives elsewhere. With many of them risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean or the Channel, our image of today is especially relevant. At this very moment when you read this, still hundred of migrants are chancing a hazardous crossing somewhere in the world.

To see this image drawn on the streets, where unfortunately many of our refugee brothers and sister will end up, makes this artwork all the more poignant...

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-25-31-46-2023/