New York-based artist Barry X Ball's exhibition "The Shape of Time" has opened at the Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, featuring 23 sculptures centered on the elaborate silver and gold piece *Pope Saint John Paul II* (2012–24). The show, organized by curator Bob Nickas, includes many works shown publicly for the first time, such as *Pietà* (2011–22) inspired by Michelangelo and *Saint Bartholomew Flayed* (2011–20). The sculpture of John Paul II, cast in collaboration with Italian jewelry house Damiani, contains hidden references to the pope's life, including his nemeses Hitler, Stalin, and Lenin, as well as a bullet from the 1981 assassination attempt.
The exhibition matters because it revives the historic tradition of religious institutions commissioning leading contemporary artists, a connection that has weakened over the past century. The Benedictine community at San Giorgio Maggiore views hosting contemporary art as integral to its mission, following previous shows by artists such as Berlinde de Bruyckere, Anish Kapoor, and Ai Weiwei. Ball's work engages deeply with art historical precedents, transforming classical masterpieces into contemporary sculptures that resonate within the sacred space of Palladio's iconic basilica.