Rest in peace, nice idea.

An evening walk back to the hotel from the restaurant where I just had dinner, in a peripheral district north of Bologna. I can't imagine the number of people who would be able to spot it and form any opinion about it. The road, flanked by bricks and concrete walls, promises to be one of those fast lanes where people rush either to work or home with no room for thoughts. As the two colleagues that joined me for dinner walk on taking care of not falling off the very narrow sidewalk, I stop for a picture and a few questions open up.

Apparently, I'm standing in front of a sign of protest. The metaphor needs no explanation. The inscription is there only to provide context and reinforce a sense of finality, reminding us how some promising thoughts can be prematurely discarded or neglected. I'm not sure whether the artwork was inspired by some personal experience. Am I looking at a statement about the abandonment of creativity and the pursuit of innovation? After all, the artist had an opportunity to express his thoughts. His creativity found an outlet.

 

Sex is my lie

Hidden Tracks

Art Takes Time

Music for all ages

Some pay attention, some others pay tips ...

(Made and sent from my mobile)

Looking at Graz

Under the Bridge

You would expect to see something else. Instead I found the local Art Academy training ground, as well as thousands of padlocks and the face of an astonished Beethoven. Can you spot it?

The Trooper

June 1946

This shot, that I took while I was riding my MTB in the valley run by river Olona, has been waiting so long in my hard disk that I nearly forgot I had taken it. I spotted this (IMHO) finely decorated concrete wall in Marnate, at the entrance of a WWII bunker (click here to read some more). I recall that I stopped, took the picture and thought "this could be fine for June 2".

Yesterday was the so called Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica), the main Italian National Holiday. Beside a military parade made in Rome and few short local celebrations made early in the morning (not to disturb the rest of the people) by civilian and military authorities together with the survival of those who lived those days between 1940 and 1946, nothing else was done to recall why we had that day off. If I asked my kids they would have answered "boh!" ("I don't know").

It must have been a well studied strategy combining the Republic Day break, the very first opportunity to reach for the seaside, with the local administration polls. Numbers of voters have been at historical low.
I wonder why those authorities still meet in front of a memorial stone.

People Wisdom

... but the real problem is that people are only able to write it on walls, whereas they'd better saying these words to those who deserve it.

The real recognizes the real.

Street Art

Isn't it?

Piazza Navona - I

If it's true (any one to argue?) that Rome is the center of the World, then Piazza Navona in the days between Christmas and the Epiphany is the center of such center. People from everywhere seem to have gathered here. Street artists make their best to show off their skills and attract people passing by. In these days everyone is well disposed to offer a little tip for few minutes of happiness.

Campo de' Fiori - I

Roma, Piazza Campo de' Fiori

Street Art Days of 591

A great selection of Street Art samples on display.