The Boat of Resurrection: Mario Vespasiani’s installation in the

The Boat of Resurrection in the Cathedral

During the Easter period the Cathedral of Ripatransone hosts The Boat of Resurrection, an installation by artist Mario Vespasiani that bridges contemporary art and spiritual reflection. Promoted by the local parish community, the work turns the sacred setting into a space for visual meditation.

Created in 2025 and previously shown at the Galata Museo del Mare in Genoa within the "Heart of the Sea" exhibition, the installation employs an unmanned boat as a strong metaphor for the empty tomb and resurrection.

• Materials: nets, weathered timbers and collected fragments that speak of fragility and renewal.
• Visual elements: a wooden Christ figure on the bow and hundreds of postage stamps covering the hull, forming a mosaic of global memories and identities.
• Concept: manuscripts and personal traces placed inside the work, turning it into a symbolic archive of human experience.

The use of reclaimed materials and intimate elements encourages contemplative viewing: the piece addresses both believers and those seeking a contemporary interpretation of universal themes such as departure, loss, waiting and rebirth.

Mario Vespasiani is the author of several publications and has exhibited widely in Italy; his accolades include the Riviera delle Palme Prize (2023). The installation’s presence in Ripatransone highlights art’s capacity to create dialogue between community life, faith and artistic inquiry.

Practical info: the installation is set up inside the Cathedral; for guided visits or more details, contact the parish or local organizers.