From the Sistine Chapel to the Super Bowl: Art, Beauty, and Social Action

On Conclave & Kendrick Lamar's halftime show

Originally posted on Substack by Max Kuzma Feb 17, 2025

Digital Illustration by Maxwell Kuzma showing Cardinal Lawrence from Conclave and Kendrick Lamar from the halftime show at Superbowl LIX

When I was a young Catholic professional, freshly graduated from Franciscan University and sporting a resume with places like “Dynamic Catholic” on it, I took my vocation as an “artist in the world” seriously. For myself and a growing group of young conservatives in the mid 2010’s, beautiful, theologically-rich art was to be the focal point of our new evangelization (a term originally made popular in 1975 by reformer Pope Paul VI). “Beauty will save the world” was our motto, a phrase that came from a 1869 Dostoevsky novel. Not social action, mutual aid, or works of mercy, but beauty: lofty, pristine, effervescent. Always present–yet somehow always out of reach.

In the film Conclave (October 2024), the hierarchy of the church (in this case, specifically the cardinals), model this simultaneous presence while being set-apart. Indeed, in order to carry out the task of electing the new pope, they gather inside the sistine chapel, where the ceiling is covered in the soaringly exquisite life’s work of renaissance painter and sculptor Michaelangelo, and lock the doors behind them. Even the windows have been shuttered, apparently to prevent spies from the press who would “listen” to vibrations on the glass using “laser technology.” They are “sequestered,” and must have no contact with the outside world during a voting process that will go on until they have a two-thirds majority and unleash the white smoke, announcing a new pope to the eagerly awaiting faithful and world.

The hierarchy of the Catholic church is central to the way that Catholics understand church, and so is always present. Worldwide there are 252 cardinals, (with 183 currently eligible to vote for Peter’s successor in the case of Francis’s passing), and, obviously, only one Pope. The clergy are always present, yet often out of reach.

Conclave masterfully illustrates this dynamic. The film itself is beautiful, a truth reflected in the eight academy award nominations it has received, including for best picture, best production design, best costume design, best original score, and best film editing. These nominations reflect the careful attention to the art of cinema that went into the film’s creation, a level of attention that as a lifelong Catholic I appreciated. From hushed conversations in ancient sanctuaries to the tactile vestments heavy with the weight of the office, Conclave delivers an intrinsically Catholic feel.

From hushed conversations in ancient sanctuaries to the tactile vestments heavy with the weight of the office, Conclave delivers an intrinsically Catholic feel.

But what is the point of this type of beauty—this Catholic opulence? Is it all superficial vanity? Do grand cathedrals and gold monstrances make a mockery of Matthew 25:35? If you believe that beauty will save the world, the answer here is that the beauty of these traditions point us to God, and in doing so, bring us closer to our salvation. Beauty obviously isn’t the savior, but points to him.

The problem is, we are not called to merely look towards or at Christ, but to imitate him. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, and it is not something that we will view but something that we will embody. “Beauty will save the world,” can not help us if it justifies passive observation with the assumption that everything will work out in the end. How many parables did Jesus tell warning against sitting on the sidelines of your vocation? When you fed the hungry, Jesus says, that is when you fed me. Clear, active, and direct.

In his stunning performance at the halftime show for Superbowl LIX, it would be an understatement to say that Kendrick Lamar engaged his art form actively. It was a performance that did not pull any punches, from the red, white, and blue wardrobe of everyone on stage, to the formation of the dancers as an American flag split down the middle, to a direct call out for revolution while knowing President Trump was in attendance “The revolution about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.”

Jesus’ life and teachings were all about caring for the poor, oppressed, and marginalized. Similarly, Kendrick's music, and much of his performance, address issues like systemic inequality, racial injustice, and the struggles faced by underserved communities. He actively made a political statement, highlighting and uplifting populations in our society that are often overlooked–which aligns with Christ’s call to serve the marginalized and speak truth to power.

Conclave was also deeply political in some ways that felt obvious to me and in some that surprised me. The lofty, set-apart elements of political intrigue and alliances made amongst the liberal and conservative cardinals wasn’t a surprise. But the film also found a way to confront its out-of-reach characters with deeply intimate and personal moments of reflection as well as conflict.

Despite how much fundamentalists want Jesus to be a white American republican who preached the prosperity gospel with a side of nationalism, in reality he was still a brown skinned man from the middle east who had no money and spent most of his time with society’s outcasts. That is the true Christ the King, not some kind of gym-bro riding a cybertruck into battle to crush the woke mob and champion white supremacy. Our role in the work of salvation was never about appointing ourselves judge, jury, and executioner. We are the body of Christ, the individual parts that make up the whole and help bring about the incarnation of God’s love into a broken world.

Both Conclave and Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show performance use art to send a message about where our attention should truly lie: not on lofty, out-of-touch aesthetics, but right here. Right now. With the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized. The love and compassionate care we show our neighbors and community members is how we participate in the work of salvation.

While beauty and art can elevate our souls and direct our gaze toward higher truths, our ultimate calling is not to passive admiration but to active participation in the world around us. As we reflect on works of art like Conclave and Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, we must remember that beauty is not an end in itself, but a means to move us toward action—toward the loving service and justice of Christ. The kingdom of God is here and now, not in distant, unreachable ideals, but in the everyday acts of mercy and compassion that we carry out.

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