Among Kelly’s favorite works is Symbiont IV, a drawing from Gregory Brellochs’ Arborescent Series that takes inspiration from his childhood spent connecting to nature in the woods of Ithaca, New York. 

Rebecca Rutstein, the artist responsible for outdoor murals on the AT&T building, Edgewater Apartments, and North Broad Street in Philadelphia, is also featured in the exhibition. On a month-long expedition with an oceanography team, Rutstein committed to creating a unique painting every single day. “Laudato Si’” will display nine of these paintings. 

“I think that’s one of the beauties of the exhibit: We have seasoned artists and emerging ones, we have Philadelphia artists and people from elsewhere, and we have a mix of everything when it comes to style,” Bracy says. “Every artist’s interpretation of caring for our common home is a bit different.” 

The team hopes that those who view the exhibition will walk away inspired to learn more about the encyclical and examine their own connection to the natural world. 

“Art reaches parts of our brains that words don’t,” Parone says. “It touches your soul rather than just the logical parts of our brains. That’s what I’m hoping will happen with this exhibition: People will see the message that Pope Francis was trying to convey through the eyes of these artists and it will reach them in a way that words can’t.” 

The museum will host Summer Solstice Family Day to open the exhibition on June 21 and will host related workshops throughout the summer.