Marcello Silvestri's "The Return/Coming Back" painting is on show at the Biennale of Contemporary Sacred Art of Menton (France, 1-31 October 2025) which this year is dedicated to the theme of forgiveness ("le pardon" in French). This figurative expressionist artwork is inspired by Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son and is part of a series of paintings on the Parables that Marcello made in the 1980s and 1990s. The theme of the prodigal son is itself a central one in Christian iconography but Marcello's creation seeks to go beyond traditional sacred art.
Founded in 2019 this Biennale is a rare event of art patronage promoting contemporary artists that explore the sacred and spirituality. It was founded by Mr and Mrs Marabini. It is hosted in the Marabini-Martac Museum at the Palace des Ambassadeurs, in Menton, Southern France. All artworks are for sale.
The exhibition is open every day, except Mondays, 10am-6pm, until 31 October 2025.
An article in Italian was published by Exibart on 1 October 2025.
This article in English was published in the Jesuit review America on 21 October 2025.
Above: invitation to the BACS.
Above: Marcello's painting of the Prodigal Son and, next to it, the cover of the BACS 2025 catalogue on the theme Le Pardon (French word for "forgiveness")