Pope Leo XIV Announces Water-Themed Exhibition at Vatican Library with Bill Moran's LetterFish Prints

Pope Leo XIV has unveiled a new exhibition series at the Vatican Apostolic Library, titled 'AQVA: Catastrophe and Wonder,' scheduled from September 15, 2026, to May 14, 2027. This exhibition showcases the works of three contemporary creators: photo-street artist JR, graphic designer Bill Moran, and chef Fulvio Pierangelini, each interacting with the library's collections. It also commemorates the 470th anniversary of Ippolito Salviani's fish treatise, published in Rome in 1557 with the library's assistance, as highlighted by Rev. Giacomo Cardinali, vice prefect and exhibition commissioner. Moran, a third-generation letterpress printer from Minnesota, produced 12 unique 'LetterFish' wood type prints and designed a free online LetterFish game. The exhibition cycle, supported by Fondazione Roma and Intesa Sanpaolo, examines natural elements as reflections of humanity's aspirations and fears, beginning with water's threatening nature and progressing toward reconciliation.