Just a few metres from Immaculate Conception Cathedral in the Argentine city of La Plata stands the world’s largest mural dedicated to Pope Francis. Source: CNA.
This work, painted by renowned Argentinian artist Martín Ron, represented a great technical challenge and aims to be a message of peace, of union “between earth and heaven,” and a place of prayer and pilgrimage.
On July 26, in the presence of city officials and the archbishop of La Plata, Gustavo Carrara, they 50-metre-high mural was inaugurated and blessed.
“As muralists, beyond painting our own works, we are constantly identifying those figures that have a strong popular following,” because muralism “is still pop art,” the artist said.
“Painting them in these dimensions and contributing to enhancing the collective memory of these figures, especially in places where art doesn’t reach, is very important.”
Although Mon had complete freedom to choose an image that represented the recently deceased Argentine pontiff, the limitations had to do with the “hardest aspect of the project, which is the dimensions, the format of the wall, and the angles from which it will be viewed.”
“In this case, the path was quite clear, because it’s right next to the cathedral, it overlooks the plaza, and it’s very central. But the only limitation I had, which is what can sometimes filter out the best photos, is the particular format of this building. While tall, it’s very narrow: 50 metres by 5 metres.”
The chosen image was a well-known one from the first months of Francis’ pontificate, where he can be seen smiling and looking up, holding a dove in his hand as it begins to spread its wings.
“It’s a very tender photo. I think it’s one of the best. It’s very well known, and it says a lot because it connects with heaven, through all the symbolism of the dove within the Catholic faith,” he noted.
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New Argentine landmark: The world’s largest mural honors Pope Francis (By Julieta Villar, CNA)
