The opening event will be held on Friday, April 4, at 5:00 PM, in the presence of distinguished guests, including Bishop Antonio Staglianó, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Fulvio Granocchia, Cristian Contini, and the two curators. The evening will feature a musical performance by a pianist and a soprano, with a presentation by Paola Zanoni. 

At the heart of the exhibition, coordinated by Project Manager Sara Galardi, are two monumental works, Virgin Mary and Christ, both created in 2023. These extraordinary 200 x 200 cm pieces, made of wood and laminated safety glass, depict the faces of the Virgin Mother and Christ.

Simon Berger’s artistic expression delves into a profound reflection on the perception of reality and the symbolic power of images. Regarding the exhibition’s theme, Bishop Staglianó provides a crucial interpretative key:

"What exists ‘between’ Mother and Son? Generativity, this powerful reality that allows the other to exist through love. The artistic gesture proposed here seeks to educate the gaze toward the profound reality present in every authentic human relationship. Without generativity, everything is false—mere fiction, simulation. Beyond and within the masks we wear, we must learn to ‘perceive faces.’ This requires an openness of the heart, a purification of the eyes to receive a new light. The faces of Mary and Christ are this light—piercing through the cracks of a society reluctant to generate through love, yet eager to produce hallucinating simulations."

This reflection aligns perfectly with Berger’s artistic approach, where his innovative technique transforms glass into a portal to the depths of human existence. Every crack and fracture in the glass becomes a window into the soul, challenging the viewer’s perception and understanding of reality.

The monumental works Virgin Mary and Christ find a natural setting in the Church of the Artists, a historic venue that has long been a meeting point for art, spirituality, and contemplation. Berger’s deep aesthetic and conceptual exploration seamlessly merges with the sacred and inspiring atmosphere of this space.

The two works are presented in a site-specific and immersive installation. The self-supporting glass panels are arranged in such a way that they create a pathway, guiding the viewer through a labyrinth of fragmented images—only fully recognizable when seen in their overlapping perspective. This visual interplay invites reflection on the process of perception, encouraging the mind to reconstruct meanings and reassemble images while moving through the space.

The experience is enriched by the transparency of the material, which interacts with light and depth, allowing for multiple, layered interpretations. The cracks and breaks in the glass are not merely aesthetic elements but a visual language that conveys both fragility and strength. As Sandrine Welte observes in her text dedicated to the artist, Berger’s work transcends conventional “beauty” to embrace the sublime, transforming destruction into an act of profound and meaningful creation.

In 2023, these works were presented at the Civic Museum of Sansepolcro in the exhibition “The Doors of Perception”, which received widespread acclaim for its ability to challenge traditional visual perception. Now, with "Tra Madre e Figlio", Simon Berger takes this exploration even further, delving into the relationship between mother and son as a symbol of creation and revelation, and into the deeper realms of human thought.

Art critic Pasquale Lettieri emphasizes that Berger’s work transcends the boundaries between the material and the immaterial, giving life to artworks that not only challenge vision but also provoke a deeper perception of existence. Berger’s pieces are not merely to be seen—they must be felt, experienced, and understood through an intimate and profound interaction with the audience.

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

The exhibition will be held at the Church of the Artists, Piazza del Popolo, 18, 00187 Rome.