Origins of The Cloak of Conscience

Here, in Anna’s words, is the story of The Cloak of Conscience

Since my early childhood there is a question that never left me: What am I doing here? What is the meaning of my life? Do I have a mission, a duty toperform?
As I started to discover my artistic talent I began to find some answers. In 1980 I created a painting which I called “to be or not to be“. It shows a nude female body representing the vibrant beauty of youth, and in contrast an empty piece of clothing belonging to an old woman weighed down by suffering and the cares of a long life.
In 1992 I myself was going through a long period of suffering, due to a serious accident, and I decided to give up painting, for a time, and dedicate myself to sculpture instead. My first important work was the ‘Empty’ Coat which was a reflection of my pain but also my confidence and belief in a better future.
When completed, the sculpture was chosen for an exhibition in the Place Central in Pietrasana, my place of work, and given the title of ‘La Veste del Vuoto’ (The Empty Coat). That was to be the start of a long road for me.

In 1992 I was going through a long period of suffering, due to a serious accident, and I decided to give up painting, for a time, and dedicate myself to sculpture instead. My first important work was the ‘Empty’ Coat which was a reflection of my pain but also my confidence and belief in a better future.
When completed, the sculpture was chosen for an exhibition in the Place Central in Pietrasana, my place of work, and given the title of ‘La Veste del Vuoto’ (The Empty Coat). That was to be the start of a long road for me.
That Coat symbolises for me our survival after our journey on earth. As the ‘Jedermann’ of Hugo von Hoffmannsthal, who was with me in my youth in Salzbourg commented, “we will be accompanied through life by our good works, our love for others and their support”. The empty Coat is filled by our souls, by conscience. It is that which gives us the reason to be living.
Paul Valerie explained it in a wonderful way “you know my opinion on the enterprise called life. There are no more than two things. Two. The only two things that transform us and makes us capable of dealing with everything that life has to offer is love and work. But together, in a new and extreme feeling… love becomes work”.

The Cloak, and Conscience

Having created this work, in a spontaneous fashion, I discovered that the image of the Empty Cloak had been used by many wise people in the past as a metaphor for the protection of the living or to indicate at the very least, an awareness of conscience.
From Saint Francois, who recommended a healthy body as a Cloak of Meditation in the absence of a sacred place, to Mahatma Gandhi, there are many examples.
In both Western and Oriental philosophy, there has always been a chain of thought as to who is thinking about the Question of Conscience and for Albert Camus “the conscience is even more important than survival”.
From its outset, the Cloak created more interest than any others of my works, be it from the passing viewer, the media or from the critics. Some institutions decided to mark symbolic sites with this enigmatic piece. Also, a bronze Cloak, 150 cm in height is installed in memory of the first performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in front of the Stavovske Divadlo in Prague. Another one, placed in front of the Cathedral in Salzburg, reminds us of the image of the Pieta, the mother who suffered for all the other mothers. And yet another represents the image of philosophy and is installed at the Foundation of c a La Ghironda in Bologna.
All of these sculptures, installed within the last ten years, have brought about an astonishing reaction from everyone who has seen them. This has manifested itself in the form of emails, letters and other communications. Without needing any explanation, these Cloaks have clearly contributed to a revaluation of what Conscience really is.
But it is still not enough. Otherwise, how can you explain the fact that so few of our fellow citizens seem unmoved by the living Cloaks that we see on all the street corners in say Paris, and all the other major cities.
So few of us remember the exhortation of D’Ezechiel, which I have engraved on the base of my ’Heart of the World’ created for Pope Jean Paul II: “throw away your hearts of stone and I will give you a heart of gold”.
I realised it was necessary to do much more if we are to arouse peoples true conscience and I threw myself, body and soul, into a huge enterprise, the Archi-Sculpture of the Cloak.

The Archi-Sculpture

Encouraged by an original friend at Carrare at the Abbey of the Basilica and Monastery of Saint Francois of Assissi, I began to envisage a space for contemplation fashioned from a single marble block, a place at which you can rediscover your conscience. After much research, I found the man capable of helping me to realise this enterprise, the owner of the quarries of Michelangelo at Carrare.

These quarries were the source of the marble for the monuments of ancient Rome. They were the place where Michelangelo, Bernin and other geniuses created their master works and they are today the only place capable of supplying the size of marble block required for the Archi-Sculpture.

So I finally took delivery of a block of marble weighing 200 tonnes and set out on a unique journey in the history of sculpture.
It was the first time since Michalangelo that a sculptor was required to work in the quarry itself because of the size of the piece. It was also the first time a piece of marble was worked on both outside and in-.
In 2008 it won me the ’Premio Michelangelo’ award, the first time that a woman had been honoured with this distinction. Now that this Cloak, in white marble and weighing 70 tonnes, is almost complete, I must take stock and remember that the piece is no longer part of me.

The Conscience Movement

The 2009 Copenhagen summit proved once more that the Heads of State from all countries have a responsibility to maintain equilibrium for their citizens and the world as a whole.
The procedures of the United Nations are clearly too bureaucratic and too slow to help the world. Therefore, as there is not a universal method of governance accepted by all countries, and we are still far from achieving that, we should follow the advice of R.K. Pavchauri, winner of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize: “only the people themselves can save the world, responsible politicians will accept the verdict of the people”.
The moment has come to create a movement at the grass roots, and to call upon all citizens of the world to realise and declare their responsibilities.
To establish this movement requires people of vision, people who have both the means and the contacts to promote this worldwide project. I am ready to put forward my artistic work as a universal symbol of the awakening of conscience along with the different programmes developed jointly with my husband.
I envisage the Archi-Sculpture of the Cloak, enclosed within a glass pyramid, at the heart of a worldwide event, and on display in a symbolic and much visited place. The marriage of the piece with the pyramid will reinforce the knowledge of the conscience and underline the significance of the monument.
The project should be organised by an ’Institute of Conscience’ using a format that enables it to put all the different programmes into motion.
Among the ideas in mind, we have ’The Conscience Award’ given annually to men and women, or perhaps organizations, who can be considered ’Guardians of the World Conscience’. The launch of a ’World Tour of Conscience’ with Coats going to all parts of the world. The ‘Worldwide Journey of Conscience’ with events focussing on parts of the world which demand our attention. The ’Conscience net’ major internet sites and applications on Web2 allowing people worldwide to actively participate in improving world conscience.
From ‘Forums of Conscience’ where acknowledged experts give their opinion, in a simple way, as to the meaning of conscience, to ‘Conscience Aid’ the organisation of both material and spiritual aid to those in need, we envisage numerous other initiatives being put in motion.
Change is all around us, and advancements in technology, commerce and human relationships are accelerating all the time. The Cloak of Conscience offers us a place to clean our consciences so we can check the collective progress of the world before it is too late.
For more information, see this video for the origins, and creation of The Cloak of Conscience.