From April 24 to October 4, 2026, in the evocative Rocca Maggiore, "FRANCISCUS. Fratello in arte." IN ASSISI, AN UNPRECEDENTED EXHIBITION BY MICHELANGELO PISTOLETTO PROCLAIMS POPE FRANCIS "THE FIRST SAINT OF ART." The unique and brilliant creativity of Michelangelo Pistoletto in Assisi, in a major exhibition that explores the relationship between art, spirituality, and social responsibility, bringing some of the artist's most significant works into dialogue. This unique exhibition—titled "FRANCISCUS. Fratello in arte," from April 24 to October 4, 2026, in the evocative Rocca Maggiore—is inspired by a radical gesture by Pistoletto: the proclamation of Pope Francis as the "First Saint of Art." This is not a religious act, but an action within the language of art, recognizing in Francis a figure capable of transforming life into work and spirituality into shared responsibility. An unprecedented project embracing Assisi and the story of Saint Francis, on the eighth centenary of his death. The initiative is promoted by the Municipality of Assisi, produced by Opera Laboratori, in collaboration with Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto and Galleria Continua, and with the patronage of the Umbria Region. The exhibition is curated by the artist himself. Father Antonio Spadaro, Undersecretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education, contributed to the reflection on the theme of Pistoletto's latest innovative creation. The new work and the proclamation "First Saint of Art" stem from the reading of the pontiff's pectoral cross as a "spiritual landscape," in which the symbol opens to a horizon of relationships founded on care, peace, and harmony. In this sense, Pope Francis is recognized as a "brother in Art," an exemplary figure of practicing life as a creative act. This core is the foundation of works that have spanned Pistoletto's research for decades: The Time of Judgement, conTatto, The Third Paradise, and Flags of Religions. In these works, the artist develops a language capable of uniting differences, connecting seemingly distant cultural, spiritual, and social systems. The works in the series Segno Arte - Star of David, Metroquadrato d'infinito - Islamic Star, Rotazione dello specchio - Indu, Trinamic Specchio della Trinity - Cristianesimo, and Metrocubo d'infinito translate religious symbols and universal geometries into open, reflective, and shared forms. The mirror, a central element in Pistoletto's practice, serves as an interface between reality and representation, activating the space of the work as a place of participation and including the viewer in a process of transformation. At the center of the exhibition is the symbol of the Third Paradise, which becomes a shared horizon of dialogue, balance, and co-creation, representing the encounter between the world's faiths and cultures, past and present. The exhibition thus takes the form of a journey through the history of religions and philosophies, where art acts as an instrument of harmony and cultural mediation, inviting the public to reflect on the possibility of a shared future. A series of photographic and explanatory materials on the history of the Third Paradise interact with the permanent work installed in the Bosco di San Francesco in Assisi in the early 2000s, which can be seen from the Torre Poligonale, the highest point of the Rocca Maggiore. This creates a connection between interior and exterior and offers visitors a unique immersive experience, combining meditation, reflection, and visual perception in a coherent and engaging journey.
The exhibition culminates in the video installation of the artistic sanctification of Pope Francis: a performative act that makes the proclamation a collective experience, restoring it to the relational dimension of art.
STATEMENTS
"For me," states Michelangelo Pistoletto, "in this place that resonates with the name of Francis, the exhibition embraces the history of the Saint, celebrating the eight-hundredth anniversary of his death. And, simultaneously, the first year since the death of Pope Bergoglio, who wanted to bring the person of Francis back to life with his own life. The artistic sanctification in the Rocca di Assisi, therefore, unites the new one of Pope Francis with the ancient one of the Friar of Assisi, with whom Jorge Bergoglio wished to unite even in the same tomb, which in fact bears a single name: FRANCISCUS. Furthermore, from the top of the Rocca we see the Avenue of Olives of the Third Paradise extending into the clearing of the Bosco di San Francesco."
"This is a profound exhibition," emphasizes Valter Stoppini, Mayor of Assisi, "that revitalizes Franciscan values through the art and genius of one of the most beloved contemporary artists, who has a special bond with Assisi. This is an event of great cultural significance, enriching the celebrations and initiatives for the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis. This exhibition speaks to everyone, confirming Assisi's role as a city of peace and dialogue, capable of sending a message of hope to the world."
"Pope Francis," explains Father Antonio Spadaro, Undersecretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education, "was a brother in art throughout his life and beyond, for he left behind, with his tomb, a sculptural architecture that, in addition to containing his body, bears witness to the thought that permeates his entire work. Beneath the silver symbol he wore on his chest, depicting a shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders, the tombstone is engraved solely with the name Franciscus, with which Jorge Mario Bergoglio acknowledges his brotherhood in the Arte Povera of Saint Francis.""With FRANCISCUS. Fratello in arte," emphasizes Beppe Costa, president and CEO of Opera Laboratori, "we wanted to contribute to the creation of an exhibition project of great symbolic and cultural value, capable of establishing a dialogue between contemporary art, spirituality, and the local identity. The installation inside the Rocca Maggiore represents both a challenge and an opportunity: making an extraordinary historical space accessible to the public, through a contemporary and participatory artistic language. At Opera Laboratori, we are proud to have produced this exhibition and to support the Municipality of Assisi in the management and enhancement of civic museums, promoting experiences that engage diverse audiences and strengthen the link between heritage and contemporaneity."
INFORMATION
From 24 april to 4 october 2026
April, may, september: from 10:00 to 19:00.
from june to august: from 10:00 to 20:00.
October: from 10:00 to 18:00.
Tickets:
Full price €. 8,00, reduced price 6,00
Cumulative €. 10,00
Cumulative riduced price €. 7,00
Info:
visit-assisi.it
assisiseraficabellezza.it
075 8138680
0577 286300
booking@operalaboratori.com
CONTACTS
Ufficio Stampa Comune di Assisi
Fabiola Gentili
stampa@comune.assisi.pg.it
+39 075 8138688 / +39 347 9682659
Ufficio Stampa Opera Laboratori
Andrea Acampa
ufficiostampa@operalaboratori.com
+ 39 055290383 / +39 3481755654
Margherita Cugini
Responsabile ufficio stampa e comunicazione/
Michelangelo Pistoletto
+39 349 6031888
m.cugini@cittadellarte.it
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