László László Révész VITA Video installation, 2003

The prototype for the video is based on the trecento panel of Triumph of Thomas in the Church of Santa Caterina. The painting made circa the time of Thomas' canonisation in 1323, depicts in accordance with the thinking of the medieval theologian his path of learning as represented by books and originating in God: rays of light extend from God to the Evangelists, to Paul, to Moses and through the mediation of Thomas to the clergy. Arriving from two sides to Thomas in the centre, is the ancient wisdom of Plato and Aristotle, which he passes on consolidated with his own wisdom. The book held open in his hand, Summa contra gentiles, takes as its point of departure a citation from the Book of Proverbs. The determining visual and contentual element of this text illustrates the coalescence of the Word of God and the words of Thomas. Visible at the bottom of the painting is Averroes, the Arab commentator of Aristotle, and who, owing to his Mohammedanism, is portrayed as the embodiment of heresy; the picture heralds the victory reaped over him, and emphasises the hierarchy of knowledge. Almost seven hundred years later in the video, contemporary historians stand in the place of the figures depicted in the painting.