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N. 4/2000

Carlo Franza

In May, at the Rotonda of the basilica of San Carlo al Corso of Milan, Alessandro Mussi will exhibit another great work, “Il Vangelo secondo Giovanni” (The Gospel according to John), which integrates his two other oil painted works: “Vangelo secondo Tommaso” and “Vangelo secondo Messandro”. Representation of the Gospel according to John is based on three fundamental elements, i.e. light, words and colours, which are emphasized in the eleven triads, which in turn include thirty-three square paintings.

Mussi, who was born in Milan in 1945, is also active in the literature field, but it is in painting, to which he completely devoted himself in 1961, that he found fulfilment, given that already several renowned critics are interested in his work and his paintings have been exhibited in many Italian cities.

All the works created by Mussi, a significant contemporary artist, could be set in that sort of non-objective or maybe also abstract art, given the freedom with which he uses the materials, which seem to break up in clouds and mainly lights.

This recent painting by Mussi represents an exhaustive study on sacred art and this exhibition at the Rotonda of San Carlo should also be considered as a part of that project called “Primo Convegno Nazionale di Arte Sacra” (First National Meeting on Sacred Art), a meeting that should define once and for all what sacred art is today and what is the behaviour of the Church on this subject. In the past centuries, the Church has always considered sacred art with great attention, while today it seems to be confused because modern art has broken with classical tradition and therefore sacred art, too, runs on rails that represent metaphors, suggestions, new ideals and mainly a new beauty. It is thus difficult to adapt these themes on which all recent works by Mussi are based, especially those concerning the Gospels, which are characterized by the painting of light and modern poetry. The colours that become a blurred light, within the myriad of tones that flow like tears of joy, is a sign, the mystery of writing, proportion and harmony, where light finally represents the Christus totus who is not only the beginning and the end, but also the heir of everything that is linked to heaven and earth. The colours used by Mussi are then celestial and terrestrial colours, because it is in these elements that the Scriptures have come true, as the Gospels say.

Thanks to this materialization of light, Mussi's paintings feature a unique charm and almost make the Invisible visible, they interpret the mystery of the world and, nearly representing a metaphorical door (“I am the door”, Gv 10,7) allow the church to triumph in the third millennium. Therefore his paintings not only reveal the world history, but also interpret its mysteries in underlining the main events, thus being regenerated as a star of surprising poetry.