MONOGRAPHS

THE INTERVENTION OF THE ARTIST MIQUEL BARCELO
IN THE CHAPEL OF THE TABERNACLE IN THE CATHEDRAL OF MAJORCA
First steps

During the spring of the year 2000 the Rector of the University of the Balearic Islands, Mr. Llorenç Huguet and the Bishop of Majorca, Mons. Teodoro Ubeda (†2003), the Minister of education and culture, The Hon’ble Damià Pons, the General Director of Culture, Mr. Pere Muñoz, the Vice Rectors Jaume Sureda (institutional relations) and Mercè Gambús (university extension), the diocesan delegate of Cultural Patrimony Fr. Pere-Joan Llabrés, and other persons connected with the Balearic Islands University had a meeting in the Rector’s office to explain a proposal from the painter-artist Miquel Barcelo i Artigues about a few of his interventions and presentations for the year 2003 in Palma. These proposals related to the conferring of the doctorate “honoris causa” by the University to the artist were also to affect the Cathedral. Professors Mercè Gambús and Catalina Cantarellas had already discussed on this matter with Miquel Barcelo.

The Chapel of St Peter, also known as the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, at the head of the side nave on the right of the Cathedral was proposed as the preferred place for Miguel Barcelo's work. This apse is quite inferior in the quality of the art, furniture and decoration when compared to the other two apses: the major, or royal chapel, and the Corpus Christi chapel. This lateral apse was out of place considering the mediocrity of the chapel with closed windows, holes covered with plain glass and a non outstanding altarpiece – although it was a representative work of the neoclassic period -, especially if it is compared with the magnificence of the major apse (which is a work from the 14th century and quite remarkable in the medieval gothic with the decoration of Gaudi on the 20th century) and the Corpus Christi chapel dominated by Jaume’s Blanquer altarpiece (17th century), which is the most valuable of all the Majorcan baroque altarpieces and was restored in the years 2003-2004.

Also it offered a good opportunity to initiate the Cathedral in Contemporary art, which would be the first after Gaudi. We have to recognize that Bishop Teodoro Ubeda welcomed Miquel’s Barceló's project straight away and with much enthusiasm.

In that first meeting it was agreed that the University of the Balearic Islands, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and the Bishopric, specifically the Chapter of the Cathedral and the Heritage Delegation, would work together to carry out the intervention of the artist.

The following July, Miquel Barceló visited the bishop in the Episcopal Palace and after that he visited the Cathedral with the Dean, the Diocesan Delegate of Cultural Heritage, the Manager of the University of the Balearic Islands and the mentioned ministries to see the proposed area for his intervention.

There were also periodical discussions between the different representatives. The Bishopric and the Cathedral would propose the iconography, the liturgical furniture and the decoration, and they would follow every step of the masterpiece. The rest of the representatives would be in charge of all the economy of the work which was going to be solved by looking for sponsors.

The decisions of the Chapter of the Cathedral


The Chapter of the Cathedral informed everyone about all these steps and proposals on the 23rd September 2000. On the 2nd December it was announced that the Chapter would be voting on the 16th December. In this session the Chapter of the Cathedral accepted the intervention of Miquel Barceló in the Cathedral to remove the neoclassic altarpiece of Saint Peter in order to open the stained glass windows and replace them with five new ones. The Chapter maintained the right to accept the specific projects of the windows, the decoration of the chapel and its liturgical furniture.

During the following sessions, the Chapter accepted the proposal of using chapter 6 from the Gospel according to John with reference to the multiplication of the bread and fish and the speech of the bread of life to decorate the Chapel, which had to be dedicated to the reservation and adoration of the Holy Sacrament. They also agreed that this chapel was going to be the everyday choir where Ordinary Mass would be celebrated during week days.

Finally, after seeing the scale model, the Chapter accepted the project and the report that was presented on the 15th December 2001.

Moving towards the realization of the project


On Saint Peter’s day in the year 2001, Miquel Barcelo returned to the Cathedral. Professors from the University of the Balearic Islands, the Dean, the Architect of the Cathedral Sebastian Gamundi and other interested people suggested that the artist especially studied the impact of the light through the new future windows; two sepulchres (from Bishops Bernat Cotoner and Miquel Salva) as well as the iron gate that used to close the chapel as it would have to be moved to give more open and free space for the new decoration of the walls that were going to be covered with ceramic panels.

During summer 2001 the artist shaped his project on the scale model that had been ordered. The work was being carried out in Vietri sul mare, province of Salerno, near Naples. Miquel Barcelo also drew nine sketches of definite windows on clear acrylic sheets to illuminate the five windows of the chapel.

On the 31st October the scale model with the modelling clay project was placed in the Monastery of Saint Clair. It received the visit of the representatives from the Chapter, the University of the Balearic Islands, the two involved Ministries; and on the following days the Bishop, the Canons, the Diocesan Commission of Cultural and Artistic Heritage, the members of the Technical Report of the Commission of Cultural Heritage of the Majorcan Counsel. In November the scale model was moved to the Episcopal Palace where it was also shown to representatives of the city council of Palma and possible sponsors.


The iconographic programme

As mentioned before the new decoration for the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament was inspired by the multiplication of bread and fish by Jesus, and the sermon of the bread of life that followed the scene, which is the promise of the Eucharist according to the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. This evangelical passage is completed with the transformation of the water to wine, according to the second chapter of the same Gospel. This is the wedding of Cana and  the first sign of the work of Jesus which also is an announcement of the Eucharist.

The iconographic programme given to the artist suggested a symbolic and sacramental figuration, actualized by the sign, narrated in the 6th chapter of Saint John. It is the Resurrected Lord who gathers the community of the faithful and breaks and shares the bread of life and through the faithful, rejoices with the Eucharist, distributes the bread that gives life to the world, which overcomes the death from hunger.

The central figure had to be Jesus Resurrected. It was considered that Jesus Resurrected  should have a spiritual body, according to 1 Corinthians 15: “For there shall be a spiritual body as there is at present a living body... the last Adam has become spirit that gives life” (44-45). “The Lord is Spirit” (2*Co 3, 10). The shape of the body of Jesus Resurrected is inspired from the passage of the Transfiguration: “His face shone like the sun his clothes became bright as light” (*Mt 17, 2). The figure of Jesus Resurrected is dressed with a shining, white light, but he also shows his wounded hands and feet from the cross, according to the narration of John (20, 25.27) where Christ shows the wounds produced from the nails and His side to the Apostles eight days after Easter. Or also from Luke (24, 40): he showed his hands and feet pierced by the nails from the crucifixion. A crack in the ceramic suggests to us the figure on the Cross.

In the ceramic, at the feet of Jesus Resurrected the Tabernacle opens for the Eucharistic reservation, and the door shines with its fine gold.


Elements for the celebration

Elements (furniture or movable) for the Eucharistic celebration have been projected within the same style of the ceramic.

1. The altar is made from Majorcan stone from Binissalem and does not subtract importance from the Major Altar of the Cathedral.

2. The dais is made from the same stone as the altar. It has an inscription that gives importance to the iconography of the ceramics: “BREAD FOR THE LIFE IN THE WORLD” (*Jn 6, 51).

3. The presiding priest's seat is a fixture and made from soft stone.

4. A permanent or movable candelabra with three lights will be positioned on one side of the altar: one of the lights will be kept lit for the Holy Sacrament; the other two will be lit for the Mass.

5. The benches of the everyday choir will be also made from soft stone and they will be placed on each side under the ceramic mural.

Pieces removed from the chapel of Saint Peter

The neoclassic altarpiece (from the year 1839) was made with construction material (marble soft stone, with wood decoration) in the same place where it was shown and kept until September 2002, damaging minor columns and gothic elements from the chapel of the 14th century. The altarpiece could not be moved as it was planned because it had to be broken up into pieces and it was spoiled. The painting from Salvador Torres that represented Saint Peter receiving the keys from Jesus is now on display with the needed illumination in the first chapel entering from the main entrance on the left. The two sculptures of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Bruno made by Adria (1812) are now on display in this chapel (which was the Chapel of the Souls) on each side of the picture of Saint Peter. The funerary monument of Bishop Miquel Salva (deceased 1873) has been moved to the chapel of the Descent of Jesus from the Cross, and that of Bishop Bernat Cotoner (deceased 1684)  will go, once restored, to the chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The artistic gate that used to close the chapel of the Holy Sacrament will be on show in an another chapel of the Cathedral.

The damaged architecture of the chapel has been restored and the restored windows have been prepared to house the five stained glass windows. The high part of the sacristy of Saint Peter (from the late 19th and 20th centuries) has been demolished because it was covering the lower part of the two side windows.

Foundation “Art in the Cathedral of Majorca”

To go ahead with this operation and for its economic support, a private cultural Foundation was set up on the 1st July 2002 with Bishop Teodor Ubeda as the president: “Art in the Cathedral of Majorca” (“Art a la Catedral de Mallorca”). The founders were: Foundation Balears 21, the Diocese of Majorca, the University of the Balearic Islands and the touristic and cultural Foundation of the Balearic Islands, the secretary is the Rector of the University, and the Treasurer Mr. Gabriel Barcelo Oliver, from FUNDATUR.

Later the Majorcan Counsel joined the Foundation.

After the death of Bishop Teodor Ubeda (18th may 2003), the provisional President of the Foundation was the Diocesan Administrator, Fr. Andres Genovart, and when Bishop Mons. Jesus Murgui took possession of the Diocese of Majorca he became the president of the Foundation. At the present time (2005) the sponsorship of the Foundation is formed by the Bishop of Majorca – as president – the Vice-President and Minister of Education and Culture, Hon. Francesc Fiol, by the Turism Ministry, Hon. Joan Flaquer, by the Rector of the University, Dr. Avel·li Blasco, by the Vice-Rector of the University, Dr. Merce Gambus, by the representatives of the Majorcan Counsel, Mrs. Dulce Mulet, and by the Diocesan Delegate of Cultural Patrimony, Fr. Pere-Joan Llabres.

Evolution of the works

The Bishop of Majorca, for the Foundation “Art in the Cathedral of Majorca”, and the artist Miquel Barcelo signed the contract for the first phase of the work on the 29th August 2002 in the chapel of Saint Peter, where the big ceramic mural and the liturgical furniture (given by the artist) were going to be placed.

The construction workers of the Cathedral started the work on the 24th September to prepare the chapel to accommodate the new decoration.

On January 2003 Miquel Barcelo started the enormous ceramic mural, approximately 300 m2, in the factory of Vincenzo Santoriello in Vietri sul mare. He finished it on the 7th July. Then, some of the pieces were fired in the most advanced technology ovens. The first pieces arrived at the Cathedral on the 4th December 2003. All the ceramic was installed between the 12th of January and the 2nd August.

Bishop Teodoro, who had welcomed and sponsored the project, died on the 18th May 2003. According to his wishes, he was buried at the back of the chapel – just behind the altar – on the 21st May 2003, after the solemn funeral with a Cathedral full of people. A headstone made from Binissalem stone with a simple inscription indicates the place of burial.

The project of the liturgical furniture which was designed by Miquel Barcelo and presented by the architect Gamundi was approved by the Chapter of the Cathedral on the 6th November 2004; and the drawings for the windows on the 9th April 2005.

In the centenary of the work by Antoni Gaudi in the Cathedral (1904-2004), this renovation has opened the impressive space of the Cathedral of Majorca to the art of the 21st century. The union of the three artistic elements in a particular space of this Cathedral makes the work we are describing unique: a ceramic mural of 300 m2 , where you can see represented bread and fishes, jars of wine and food from our land, (traditional Majorcan bread, as if they had been cooked in firewood ovens), in a very typical Majorcan sea you can contemplate an abundance of fish caught. Then it finishes with a gigantic wave that nearly covers the gothic windows which cannot be opened. The five stained glass windows with colours full of life allow the full Mediterranean sun to stream into the chapel. They are protected by a gothic chapel from the 14th century, well balanced by the ceramic panel, the columns, the equilateral arches and the windows.


Iconographic and artistic valuation of the project

The artistic value of the Cathedral with this intervention will increase for the following reasons:

1. The opening up of 5 windows in the right side apse and the ceramic decoration so suggestive and full of symbolism will embellish and illuminate one of the parts of the Cathedral that was not artistically on the same level as the other two.

2. For the first time the Cathedral will have a chapel dedicated to the reservation and adoration of the Holy Sacrament with Eucharistic iconography, which is not frequent in the Majorcan churches because they normally have a Chapel of the Holy Sacrament dedicated to Christ on the cross, to the Mother of God of the Rosebush or to a saint.

The left side nave (Corpus Christi chapel) presents the Holy Supper with the Lord; the right nave will now present the other fundamental evangelic text for the Eucharist: the sixth chapter of Saint John. The two minor apses guard the larger one where the altar of the banquet and Eucharistic sacrifice is situated. It is a space redistributed and decorated by Antoni Gaudi in 1904 that placed the medieval stone table to attract the look of all the faithful and participants. This is how the Cathedral will offer an authentic image of a Christian church, which is above all the Eucharistic celebration room. The multiplication of bread and fishes, the transformation of water into wine, the speech of the “bread for the life in the world” (John’s Gospel) and the commandment of repeating the Holy Supper as a memorial of the Lord (1st letter of peace to the Corinthians and synoptic Gospels) will show, with the old established and modern art, the celebration that has the centre in the major altar of the Cathedral and the Church of Majorca.

3. This is how the Cathedral of Majorca will continue its history of opening up to the artistic styles that have decorated and ennobled it along the history since the 13th and 14th centuries. After the pure gothic and austerity of its equilateral arches and columns from the resplendent gothic era, it welcomed the Renaissance, Plateresc and Mannerism (16th century) styles. It grew with the magnificence of the Baroque (17th – 18th centuries). It incorporated decorative elements from the Neoclassic (18th – 19th centuries) and Neogothic styles (19th century) and it flourished with the modernist decoration of Antoni Gaudi and Josep M. Pujol. The Catholic Church of the Vatican II has now the opportunity to welcome an art that will take shape here for men of the 21st century, showing the biggest gift of Christ to the Church and to the world. The one that satisfies the hunger of the faithful and the hunger of the whole world with the multiplied bread, broken and distributed to give life to the world.

Palma, in the Cathedral of Majorca, 15th April 2005
Pere-Joan Llabres i Martorell, canon, diocesan delegate of Cultural Heritage