Time.news – A huge resin statue has appeared at the Arco della Pace in Milan. A monumental male figure of about 6 meters, naked: it is Mr. Arbitrium, made by the Roman artist who then moved to Carrara, Emanuele Giannelli. After having traveled extensively in his Tuscany, Mr. Arbitrium arrives in Milan. Does it push or hold? It is not known, it is an arbitrary choice, just like its name.
And there can be many meanings of this act – explains the author – clinging to history, to classicism, to tradition, as can be seen from the figurative style and the detailed and realistic representation of the human figure. Or maybe get away from it, groped to free yourself from the weight of so much beauty, send back to the sender the too many conditioning of a wonderful but equally cumbersome past.
“The sculpture is conceived with all the muscles in tension, intent on supporting the structure or otherwise pushing it away in a decisive way – explains Giannelli – playing on this ambivalence is the intent of my project and in the double meaning of this action lies the concept that is the basis of my work. In a historical moment of great changes and ever more accelerated rhythms such as the one we are going through, in my opinion, this dilemma really exists that inevitably asks us to choose: sweep away the Church or the historic building, symbol of the institutions, of history. , of past culture and tradition or instead support and defend the Church, our millenary history, the symbols of Western culture? “
“The future, according to my way of seeing and feeling, is already very near: science every day and for some time has been proposing and talking to us about robotics, neuro-technologies, stem cells, cloning, controlled digital companies, etc. Each of us will be called to decide which of the two different paths to take: “push” or “support”. Each of us will field their own “I”, acting according to their abilities, skills and above all their conscience. This is where the idea arises that the protagonist is no longer sculpture, but ourselves, all of humanity. Many “I’s” led to make those decisions, many similar or distant interpretations, in the hope of avoiding misunderstandings, misunderstandings or errors of evaluation. The future and man will pass from here, at least in my vision “.
“I am happy to return to work with Emanuele Giannelli – adds the critic Luca Beatrice who has followed the artist’s work over the years – a visionary sculptor, eclectic, a person full of cultural interests, very stimulating and attentive, who since he expanded his his own vision in the monumental work has freed himself from the limits, from the belts that held him tight, from the force of gravity. Today, not surprisingly, Giannelli can be counted among the most interesting and complete sculptors of our generation. Above all in him the work does not live of itself but attempts a profound dialogue with different forms of knowledge and contemporary culture ”.
The process that led to the creation of Mr Arbitrium is interesting. The first step consists in the creation of a sketch in clay, by the hand of the sculptor, transformed into a scan and sent to a collaborator of Giannelli, the Viareggio tank driver Luigi Bonetti, for the processing of polystyrene with a robot. The sculpture inside is armed in iron and fixed to the bases on a structure.
The robot reaches up to 90% accuracy, therefore requires further intervention by the artist in order to redefine many details, in particular of the face, hands and feet.