Amazing is an overused word but this church, Nossa Senhora do Brasil, is amazing. I didn’t know much about it except for the mention of its beautiful tiles on a blogpost that I read. Yes the tiles are indeed stunning but the ceiling is what really captivated me. Upon entering the main door of the Church, this ceiling is what greets you. It is a replica of the iconic Creation of Adam by Michelangelo which can be found in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Antonio Paim Vieira, a painter and ceramicist, was in charge of the interior decoration of the Church. He painted the starry sky above the Madonna and Child on the ceiling of the main altar surrounded by Brazilians from various parts of the country dressed in their native costumes. (See below) This gilded and carved wooden altar is from the Church of Sant’Anna de Mogi das Cruzes (an hour northeast of São Paulo). The statue of the Virgin and Child on the altar has a fascinating story surrounding its origin. A wooden statue was carved
Gaia, Martin Wiese, 2021 In the tiny principality of Liechtenstein with a population of slightly under 40,000, there’s an amazing outdoor sculpture exhibition for everyone to enjoy. Many sculptural pieces are part of the Bad Ragartz 2024, an extension of the Swiss Sculpture Triennial held in the spa town of Bad Ragaz across the border in Switzerland. I was lucky to catch the exhibition this October, its final month. But weep not if you don’t see it before October 30 because Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, has quite a collection of outdoor sculptures on display year round. I’ve included these outdoor art pieces here. Gaia, König, Dame by Martin Wiese All Encompassing, Peter Nutt, steel Seitan, Kan Yasuda, front view Seitan, Ken Yasuda, back view Tribute to Groupside, Stefano Bombardieri Das Gebet , Heinz Mack, 1994, black granite Quo Vadis, David Černý Stalagmite 4, Carlo Borer, 2023 Raumableiter, Max Grüter, 2023 Watchtower, Samuel Salcedo, 2015-2022 Main Bronze (Bronze Hand), Bez