St. Louis, MO -- "I wanted to create a space for the contemplation of art and the cultivation of spirit," states Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando of his building for the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. Ando's aspiration is the starting point for a new exhibition entitled Exploring Ando's Space: Art and the Spiritual. The show will be on view August 7, 2004, through January 22, 2005 at the Pulitzer. The exhibition will explore how spirituality resonates throughout Ando's space and how it affects works of art that are placed within its walls.

The exhibition will be a rare opportunity to view works that represent diverse cultural, religious, and historical backgrounds. In the show, a visitor will find everything from an eighth century manuscript page of the Koran to ancestor poles from Papua New Guinea, as well as woodcut prints by Albrecht Durer and a sculpture by contemporary artist Wolfgang Laib made of white marble and rice.

A deliberate effort was made by the Foundation to infer spiritual attributes to art that may not have been necessarily intended. For example, Jacques Lipchitz's Figure from 1926-1930 installed in the Foundation's entrance gallery could have a similar impact as so-called "taboo" sculptures from Oceania. In the specific context of the exhibition, Pablo Picasso's haunting Woman in Yellow (1907) can be readily interpreted as a female deity. On the other hand, works such as two sixteenth century enamel paintings from Limoges, France and a fourteenth century candlestick from a mosque in Persia, both created for religious or ceremonial purposes, might appeal to a viewer primarily for their aesthetic qualities rather than their religious significance.

A central goal of the exhibition is to explore each visitor's personal views on spirituality and examine how these views and experiences shape their individual approach to the works of art and the space in which they inhabit. For that reason, the Pulitzer encourages visitors to participate in a catalogue on the Foundation’s website, either while at the exhibition or at home. Through the website, visitors will have the opportunity to reflect and comment on their perceptions of the exhibit. Only once the show is finished will the catalogue be completed. The catalogue is a result of collaborative efforts with students from the University of Missouri in St. Louis. Concerts in association with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will also take place in the Ando space and will further the exploration of the art and the architecture.

The exhibition is part of a wider initiative entitled "Beyond the Material," which links the Pulitzer exhibit with others organized by institutions in Grand Center and throughout St. Louis. The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis will present Keith Piper: Crusade. An exhibition entitled Radiant Forms in Contemporary Sacred Architecture as well as An Homage to Olivier Messiaen will be shown at The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art. The Sheldon Art Gallery participates with Ursula Schultz-Dornburg: Sonnenstand. The Saint Louis Art Museum presents Painted Prayers: Books of Hours from the Morgan Library, and the Saint Louis University Museum of Art shows Suspension of the Spirit.

The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts seeks to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the arts and architecture. Through exhibitions, programs, library facility and collaborations with other cultural and educational institutions, the Foundation serves artists, architects, scholars, students and the general public. Integral to the Foundation’s mission is the experience of its building, which provides a serene place for contemplation, enjoyment and study.

During the installation of the galleries, the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts will be closed from July 25 through August 6, 2004. Resuming August 7, the Foundation is open Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information on docent tours, call 314-535-0770; for group visits of 5 or more, call 314-754-1848. For more information about the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts visit www.pulitzerarts.org.