The basilica of Santa Maria del Pi, one of Barcelona’s historical treasures, has been the scene of an artistic mystery that has left many perplexed. In the middle of this week, an enigmatic mural emerged on one of the back walls of the basilica.
It is a work of urban art, made with wallpaper and glue, depicts a crucified Christ in black and white, but with a head that has been replaced by what appears to be an old film camera.
This peculiar disfigurement of the crucifix has generated questions and debates about its meaning and its relationship to the Catholic faith.
The basilica of Santa Maria del Pi, upon learning of the mural intervention, reacted with a mixture of surprise and gratitude that the work was not done directly on the stone wall of the temple.
Instead, the mural is on a small piece of modern architecture. The drawing is adhered to an ochre-colored painted surface.
The parish and local authorities will evaluate in the coming days whether it is necessary to contact the municipal anti-graffiti brigade to remove the work.
Mystery in Barcelona’s Basilica del Pi due to enigmatic mural
The artistic mystery in the Basilica del Pi is not the church’s first encounter with street art. Earlier this year, in April, the basilica had to deal with the cleanup of graffiti that had been on an elevated, hard-to-access wall for more than a year.
This vandalism threatened the preservation of a 14th century coat of arms, sparking a debate on the impact of graffiti on historical heritage.
On the other hand, the month of July brought a positive surprise for the parish. The painter and urban artist Octavi Serra Arrizabalaga, known as Aryz, presented a work of urban art entitled ‘Criança’ on the main altar of the basilica.
The basilica and contemporary art
This enigmatic mural with the disfigured Christ is another chapter in the basilica’s relationship with contemporary art and unconventional artistic expression. Its meaning and the story behind its creation remain a mystery that could be unveiled in the coming days.
In the meantime, this small piece of urban art continues to generate questions and debate in the local community and beyond.
So far, the mystery behind the mural of the disfigured Christ remains unsolved. The local community, visitors and religious art experts have been theorizing about the possible interpretations of this work.
The parish of Santa Maria del Pi is considering opening a space for dialogue with the community to discuss the meaning and future of this mural.
