Devotional art to be displayed

The latest exhibition at the Visions Gallery in Albany was found in basements at St. Stanislaus parish in Amsterdam.

"Sacred Images: The Devotional Art of an Immigrant Community at the Turn of the 19th Century" consists of mass-produced prints from a century ago.

The exhibition runs May 5-June 30 at the Visions Gallery in the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Rev. David Mickiewicz, pastor of St. Stanislaus, is one of the curators.

Treasure trove

"We were cleaning out the rectory and church basements, and we began to find these prints," the priest said. "I didn't think too much about it at first, but there were a large number of them."

He began to see a repetition of images, such as the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He also found several scenes from the life of Jesus.

"One of the most somber pictures we found is the one of Our Lord at Gethsemane," Father Mickiewicz recalled. "The whole print is very dark. Jesus is alone. His clothes are very dark. I imagine that this image of Jesus would have been dear to immigrants. They were alone; they suffered discrimination, violence and misunderstandings. In a way, they were suffering their own passion."

More images

The pastor also found prints of the Blessed Mother: Our Lady of Lourdes appearing to Bernadette Soubirous, printed in both French and Polish; St. Catherine of Laboure, printed in French; Our Lady of Czestochowa; Our Lady of LaSalette; and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

"These images were very popular with European immigrants" from Italy, Poland, Ireland, Germany, France and Portugal, he said. "Often, they left everything they had to come to America. Most of them would never again see any of the family they left behind.

"These images of Mary as the matronly mother, Jesus as the sovereign King or Jesus and Mary together reminded them that, even though they left their families behind, they were not alone."

Questions

Father Mickiewicz noted that one purpose of the exhibition is to ask such questions as: Why were these subjects chosen and honored? what aspects of them might have sustained the faith of an immigrant population? what devotional art supports your faith today? are there connections between generations, cultures and religions?

Father Mickiewicz, who could not comment on the quality of the prints as art, was captured by their sentimentality.

"For some Catholics, the art still speaks in much the same way it did 100 years ago, giving people a sense of assurance and security. For others, they may speak of a different age and spirituality," he said.

(The opening reception is May 7, 2-4 p.m. For further information, call 453-6600.)

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