Michele Tombolini’s artistic protest in Piazza Affari in Milan
Milan, 23 February 2023 – Piazza Affari was the scene of a singular artistic protest promoted by the Italian artist Michele Tombolini. The installation, entitled “Your business or your business?”, attracted the attention of numerous passers-by and national media, sparking debates on the issue of energy costs and bills that increasingly afflict Italian families.
Tombolini’s work was placed right in front of Palazzo Mezzanotte, home of the Italian Stock Exchange, a symbol of financial power and economic dynamics that often seem distant from the daily reality of ordinary people. The installation depicted a man dressed in an elegant black suit and a bowler hat on his head, completely covered in energy bills. The image of an individual suffocated by an economic burden immediately struck the collective imagination.
The choice of Piazza Affari as a place of protest is not accidental. Tombolini intended to convey a strong message to institutions and large companies in the energy sector, denouncing the exponential increase in the cost of bills and the increasing difficulty for families to meet these expenses.
A reminder also of the need for greater investment in the renewable energy sector and policies aimed at making energy more accessible and sustainable for all. Energy bills, in fact, represent a crucial issue in an era in which the transition to cleaner and cheaper energy sources should be a priority.
The choice of an art installation as a means of protest has sparked a debate on the effectiveness and communicative power of art. A tool to highlight social and political issues, managing to attract the attention of the public and the media in an original and emotional way.
Tombolini, in particular, is not new to these artistic provocations, the latest in chronological order is the installation “The voice OFF the Planet”, created in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion (XR), against the climate crisis and the sixth mass extinction.
What will be the next one?
INFO/PHOTO COURTESY: Michele Tombolini
Chiara Mattavelli
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