Summer 2022, Pieta, Annunciation, Fountain of Mercy, Our Lady Untier of Knots, Blue Madonna, Crown of Thorns, and Mother of Sorrows were featured in the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Art Exhibit. The exhibit elicited controversy and conversation. At the NRO, employees can ask the Director of the NRO (DNRO) questions. Two questions were submitted to the DNRO about the artwork. On August 2, the DNRO shared the unclassified questions as well as an unclassified response. The more these paintings are viewed the more they will spark emotion, thought, and conversation. Read Ask the DNRO Response 2022-056 (Art Exhibition) below.

Posted By Jodi King

Posted on August 2, 2022

THIS CONTENT IS UNCLASSIFIED

A primary purpose of art is to invoke emotion, to make you think, and to allow the artist and the person experiencing the art to react. Artists are inspired by any number of things they see, hear, or experience. For the NRO art exhibit, we elected to display what the artists generously loaned us. This year we also extended the invitation to participate to family members. I hope everyone takes a moment to step back and understand that art is an opportunity to consider perspectives one might not otherwise see.

To fully appreciate the art in question, you may want to spend some time looking at the full body of this artist's work. In our exhibit, she displayed pieces entitled, Pieta, Annunciation, Fountain of Mercy, Our Lady Untier of Knots, Blue Madonna, Crown of Thorns, and Mother of Sorrows. As noted in the artist highlights displayed, she is inspired by her Roman Catholic faith as well as traditional Roman Catholic art.

With regard to Fountain of Mercy, the artwork it resembles, and to which you refer, is entitled, Divine Mercy. The image is familiar to many and is based on a 1934 painting by a Polish nun. The original Divine Mercy was painted by Eugeniusz Mazimirowski under the direction of Saint Faustina Kowalska based on her vision of Jesus in 1931. For those unfamiliar with the painting, the depiction contains the message "Jesus I trust in you" (Polish: Jezu ufam Tobie). I consulted a few experts in developing this response. One was Chaplain Samuel, who observed the original art that inspired the painting on display captures how Jesus appeared to Saint Faustina. Throughout history, there have been numerous depictions of Jesus, as well as other religious figures. She noted that depending on the individual. Jesus may have looked different to each and every one of them. Chaplain Samuel also observed when art becomes controversial, it becomes valuable. She noted this piece will continue to be valuable because it will spark emotion and hopefully conversation.

We also reached out to the artist of the Fountain of Mercy, who was happy to hear from us and was pleased her work was eliciting reactions. She commented art is supposed to make us feel something, and she respects whatever feelings folks might have when viewing her work. She shared she had made a pilgrimage to the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow to view the original. She explained she is inspired by an image of the original, which hangs in her studio, next to an image of a protest poster depicting George Floyd. She sees this work as a reminder that all of us are conduits of mercy and grace. She used the colors that symbolize the blood of the martyr - red, the color of the soul - silver, and the color of forgiveness - blue.

The artist further commented she is inspired by and seeks to create religious imagery that is both abstract and lifelike, and representative of many different people. She mentioned having been inspired by Our Lady of China, a mosaic copy of which is displayed at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and the image of Mary of Guadalupe, which resides in the Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

I appreciate you are asking questions. I hope you had some time to spend in the spline and saw something that raised questions in your mind. While none of the art displayed in the NRO art exhibit raises concerns about partisan political advocacy, questions regarding the Hatch Act and limits on partisan political expression in the workplace may be directed to NRO-OGC-Ethics. I also encourage you to visit with our new Chaplain to discuss questions of faith and religion. Please join me in welcoming Chaplain Blancaflor to the NRO family.

Thank you for your questions.

022-56 Art Exhibition

Ask the DNRO Answers