The new “secret” mural by Andrea Ravo Mattoni, is in an abandoned factory

A new mural has been created by Andrea Ravo Mattoni in an abandoned factory in Varese Province, one year after the first case of Covid-19 was discovered in Italy.

The street artist spray-painted Guido Reni’s famous “David and Goliath”, from 1607, onto the wall. The work by the artist from Varese is 15 metres high and 8 metres wide, but cannot be seen yet by the public. The artist deliberately created the work in an abandoned factory, and it will be unveiled at the end of 2021, when the health emergency will hopefully be over. This is a message of beauty and hope.

 

This is how Andrea Ravo Mattoni described this work.

 

“A year has passed since this terrible and nerve-racking pandemic first appeared, and another year awaits us and will still put us to the test, but I’m certain that even though we feel small and powerless in the face of this gigantic and sometimes insurmountable situation, we will eventually defeat it, as David did with Goliath.

“This work is a tribute and a sign of hope, to everyone who is struggling and resisting; to everyone who has lost or are losing important parts of their lives, it is an immovable sign of hope. This work is a calm and steady cry and is dedicated to all of you.

“The location was deliberately chosen as an abandoned factory, a place that has seen years of hard work carried out between its walls, a place that is returning to life and will be renewed in a new form, the place is in Varese Province, my province, this place will be unveiled at the end of 2021, with the hope that this period will largely be over. Until then, this wall will remain silent, motionless but determined, ready to defeat a microscopic but gigantic virus.”

 

Translated by Adriana Bocse and Chiara Brovelli

Reviewed by Prof.Rolf Cook