How do you improve on a sacred space? That was artist Adam Cvijanovic’s assignment when he was approached early last year: a mural for St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. “The Catholic Church hasn’t done a significant piece of art like this in a long, long time,” he said.
But Cvijanovic’s commission made him part of a tradition that has gone on for centuries. “Yes,” he said, “and that made it all the more daunting.”
While drawing inspiration from the old-world masters, Cvijanovic, who works primarily on a large scale, wanted to create something distinctly American. The mural, called “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding,” now graces the entrance – the narthex – to what many call America’s parish church.
“Even those who love the cathedral said, ‘Eh, this entranceway is kinda dreary, it’s kinda dull,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Catholic Archbishop of New York. “There’s enough dreariness to the world that, when you go into a church, you don’t need it.”…