Exhibitions & Events:
Portofino _ 2011 Acquisition of the artwork by the "Museum of the Park of Portofino, International Centre of Outdoor Sculpture" (curator: S. Mormino / Director: D. Crippa) pier Umberto I ° As a child, you picture the world through simple pieces of information. One of them was that “in Berlin there is the Wall”. During my last visit, however, I was astounded by the speed, determination and meticulousness with which recent past has been deleted. New optimistic architectures have torn to pieces years of pain. And I wonder whether forgetting may mean overcoming. How can we improve if we delete memory? Today, as it happened 70 years ago, the stagnation and job shortage foster prejudices and fears. The world seems filled with insurmountable limits perfectly symbolised for many years, in Europe and in the World, by the Berlin Wall: tall, grey, and under high surveillance ... before which you felt trapped, 150km long, that cut across 193 streets, 32 tramways and 8 metro lines, 3 motorways, 1 river and 1 people … and took a toll of more than 230 people killed and more than 1000 injured…. An apparently insurmountable symbol created by man that, once turned into a mirror, captivates you and obliges to interact with your conscience like an actor on the stage of your life. An invisible yet material boundary where we become our own limit. Now, a metaphorical road opens towards our dreams and we are invited to ponder on prejudices and habits, and subvert rules and convictions that keep erecting walls around us. But these are walls made of mirrors. Boundaries beyond which freedom lays.... And we realise that we are the mankind. Individual and universal coincide: we are the wall! On November 16 th, 1989, the Berlin Wall was definitely smashed down. Then, it can be done. More, it must be done in the conviction that the future belongs to those who believe in the strength of their dreams! But then I turn and see another wall coming up…
(Daniele Basso – Portofino, July 2oth 2011)