For a few days now in the historic center of Naples, in the university area, there is a new mural. It is a work by Abraham Calero, a street artist from the island of Mallorca, Spain. Even a casual glance notices the reference to one of the fathers of street art, namely Banksy's "Girl with Balloon." In fact, Abraham Calero's work is also a tribute to Banksy, but in his mural, the balloon is not heart-shaped, but shaped like the virus, and it carries away the old man Carl Fredricksen from Pixar's "Up" (I recommend not watching it if you are easily moved), who in the film actually sells balloons. The reference is obviously to all the loved ones (especially grandparents) that the ongoing pandemic has taken from us. The little girl reaches out her arm to her grandfather who is flying away, trying to overcome the distance that separates them, or simply to say goodbye. Abraham Calero's work was done in various styles: the girl is a stencil, while Carl with the balloon is a print (Carl in grayscale, the virus in red). It is one of two variations on the same theme created by the artist: in the first, everything is identical except for the balloon, which is heart-shaped instead of virus-shaped. The first work, however, was the protagonist of his project "¡Por Fin Es Lunes!", in which the mural changed owner every week. In an interview, Abraham Calero states that the artist, when he finds a place for his work, gives it to the city, and each viewer will give it a different interpretation. He then decides to start a game: the work can, each week, be taken by any viewer, who can take it with them and display it wherever they want for the current week; the following Monday, however, they must give it to the first person who asks. "¡Por Fin Es Lunes!" means "Finally it's Monday!" and refers, evidently, to the day of the week when the mural finds a new owner, and consequently, a new context. Generally, Monday is associated with a feeling of discomfort, because you go back to work, and in fact the most commonly used expression is "¡Por Fin No Es Lunes!", to indicate that the weekend has finally arrived and we can devote ourselves to our hobbies. But this year, for many people who have lost their jobs, the perspective has changed. It is not the first time that Abraham Calero has used the game format in his work: in the past, in fact, he addressed the issue of the lack of tourism due to the pandemic precisely with a play on words. From "SOS turisme" to "SOS tenible": in the Balearic Islands, tourism is certainly the main source of wealth, but the artist wants to emphasize that it is precisely the monopoly of tourism that has led, with the pandemic, to total economic collapse and a sharp increase in poverty. Poverty not only for those who own or manage large hotels, but also for those who clean towels or bring dishes to tables. We should not return to the previous situation, but find forms of sustainable economy that can offer wealth to the territory independent of tourism. A vision of things that I fully support!
Work by Banksy "Girl with Balloon"
Work by Abraham Calero
Work by Banksy "Girl with Balloon"