A&O Meetup in Las Vegas: Isabel and Edith Piczek, on May 31, 2012
ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Greg Disney-Britton
NEVADA - Isabel and Edith Piczek are internationally award winning artists, and creators of the mosaics and stained-glass window art of Guardian Angel Cathedral in downtown Las Vegas. Yet, the art form of Mystical Realism that will communicate in inner levels never touched before, opens a new chapter in the history of human visual development.
By Greg Disney-Britton
 |
| Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, NV |
- Artists: Isabel and Edith Piczek (b. Hungary, now residing in Los Angeles)
- Medium: Mosaic and Art Glass
- Location: Guardian Angel Cathedral, 302 Cathedral Way, Las Vegas, Nevada
- When: May 31, 2012, 12pm
- How: Guided tour when you RSVP at (317)755-8400.
- Cost: "Free" but the church donations are encouraged.
Comments
This sanctuary on the Strip in Las Vegas serves the spiritual needs of Catholic tourists, and a few residents, but also those hungering for magnificent beauty through religious art. The stained-glass windows, mural of the risen Christ in the sanctuary and mural of a guardian angel on the front of the cathedral's exterior are breathtaking execution by two sisters, Isabel and Edith Piczek, who had fled from Hungary during the uprising there in the 1950s.
The shape of the cathedral is unusual, and frankly the acoustics could use a re-engineering because the Mass we experienced sounded jumbled, and was difficult to follow but the artwork--the artwork more than compensated for the acoustics. The cathedral structure is supposed to imitate a tent, presumably because early settlers in Nevada first lived in tents but I bet they could hear better than today's parishners do for Mass.
Back to the artwork though, the Glass Stations of the Cross are unique to the cathedral. The first station is situated over the entrance to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, which is located to the right of the sanctuary. Most of the windows contain two stations.
The large mural over the main altar depicts the Resurrection and is the 15th Station of the Cross. It reflects the modern yet respectful style of the stained-glass windows. In the mural, five couples surrounding Our Lord represent the five senses — hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch. The senses are elevated as they perceive the power and glory of the risen Christ.
The two stained-glass windows in the sanctuary are a departure from the theme of the Stations of the Cross. One window represents the risen Christ; the other some activities of mankind. There's agriculture, industry, science and also play, which incorporates a depiction of the casinos and hotels of Las Vegas.
The combination of the church, the mob museum and the location along the Strip says a great deal about the history of Catholicism but also about transformation and finding light in darkness. It was a great Meetup.