Storytellers as essential mediators of art's meaning

The article argues that art requires storytelling to convey its deeper meanings, using Caravaggio's 'The Calling of Saint Matthew' (1599–1600) in the Contarelli Chapel, Rome, as a case study. The painting depicts Matthew, a tax collector, being called by Jesus—a story that resonates with the concept of vocation. The author, Giovanni Carrada, contends that without shared narratives, artworks lose their power to connect with audiences. He emphasizes that storytellers must go beyond art history, drawing from religion, psychology, and current events to reveal meanings that speak to contemporary viewers. The piece concludes that as AI challenges human identity, art's role in providing shared significance becomes even more critical, and that the storyteller's job is to spark curiosity and imagination by exploring bold interpretations.