Vittorio Messina, Four Mute Men, 2006, Legoli
Vittorio Messina works again for the Municipality Administration with an installation in Legoli. The work consists of four silhouettes of men, very tall and imposing, built in tuff bricks (only brickwork shapes and contour lines). Each man carries a sort of iron easel on his head. Reference is made to a tale by Pliny the Elder ( Naturalis Historia, XXXV, 15). The tale is about the daughter of a potter, who fell madly in love with a young Athenian, who was soon called to arms to defend his homeland. At the moment of the last goodbye, while she was about to hug her beloved one in her father’s shop, the girl noticed that the sun was projecting his shadow on the wall. She immediately traced it to have a memory of him: hence painting and sculpture were originated. The reference to this myth is not only to be found in the simple line of the installation, but also in the iron tool, placed on the head of the four men, which has the look of an easel for painters.
More info: Archivio Fondazione Peccioliper
