On the night between 18 and 19 October, large skull-shaped
masks appeared on the statues of several Italian cities
An artistic intervention curated by the artist Michele Tombolini in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion (XR) – an international movement of activists who believe in the effectiveness of Nonviolence in actions, in everyday communication and present in over 80 countries globally and in more than 35 cities in Italy – born from the desire to contribute to raising awareness of humanity on environmental issues that are increasingly putting a strain on the life on the planet.
For some time now, the Venetian artist has been telling, through his creative research made up of large-scale works, performances, installations and sculptures, the problems of contemporary society, expressing and reinforcing those concepts on which he most wishes to raise awareness.
With the installation “The voice OFF the Planet” he addresses for the first time the climate crisis and the sixth mass extinction, that disaster that we are all now beginning to have before our eyes.
The skull, the undisputed protagonist of this artistic action, here takes on the symbolic value of the death of the planet and the risks that humanity is running. The affixing of some plants on the skull, on the other hand, represents redemption that is still possible: an Earth that can still be saved, therefore, because the most destructive ideas can come out of our minds such as the right solutions, the most efficient technologies, the most extraordinary innovations.
The skulls are also completed by the symbol of a black cross on the mouth, the symbol par excellence of all Tombolini’s artistic production, and which represents the censorship of which we are victims. That censorship that has always fought, with increasing conviction and strength, giving a voice to anyone who cannot speak or tell the truth, in this case to communicate the climate emergency that the whole world is experiencing.
An artistic project that is unique in the world for its potential to spread the message it brings: “In this historical moment of unprecedented emergency, it is necessary for all of us to take charge of our lives, without waiting in the hope that something positive can happen or that other people will think about it. Now it’s our turn: time is running out and we must do what is necessary to preserve our lives”.
INFO/PHOTO COURTESY: Michele Tombolini; Extinction Rebellion (XR)
Chiara Mattavelli
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