Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at his home in Casa Santa Marta at age 88, the Vatican announced. During his 12-year papacy, the first Jesuit and Latin American pontiff showed strong support for artists, becoming the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale last year, where he spoke at the Vatican's pavilion held in a women's prison. He emphasized the importance of contemporary art and women creators, citing Frida Kahlo and Louise Bourgeois, and urged artists to keep questioning and taking risks.
The pope's death matters because he was a unique champion of artists within the Catholic Church, using his platform to elevate contemporary art and the role of women in culture. His visit to the Venice Biennale and his homilies on art's purpose signal a rare papal engagement with the visual art world, potentially influencing future church-artist relations. The article also includes other art-world news, such as the death of collector Guy Ullens, a letter from Congress members opposing changes to the Smithsonian, and the return of a looted statue to Libya.