Ischia. Racist insults and controversy have erupted in Ischia over a mural by Jorit, a work depicting a woman of African descent that the Neapolitan artist is currently painting outside a school.
The street artist originally from Quarto and famous for his murals of Maradona and Lucio Dalla is decorating the facade of the Buchner state high school in Ischia Porto , as part of the Scuola Viva project of the Campania region.
Yesterday afternoon, however, a photo of the work circulated on a chat with the caption "Let's start forming a vandalization committee for this shameful mural." It quickly spread, provoking a reaction from the artist himself (who commented on the incident on his social media profiles) and from many Ischitans, several of whom wanted to express their dissent towards the gesture and show solidarity with Jorit in person, while he is still working at the Ischia school.
Isola High School Principal Assunta Barbieri also responded immediately on the school's official Facebook page: "Reading those arrogant and hateful words left me breathless. I am certain, however, that our community is strong and will be able to respond appropriately. I can only apologize to Jorit and thank him for the wonderful work of art and the unique and unrepeatable spectacle he is giving us."
Meanwhile, the Ischia State Police have opened an investigation into the matter . Jorit himself announced that his original post discussing this incident had been removed due to "a barrage of reports," and he republished it, editing the parts that had caused the removal.
“With my works I try to talk about social justice, the end of privileges and equal opportunities for all, but I realize that a part of the world still has skin color as a discriminant.
The post I am publishing appeared in a student chat and, fortunately, we are not in the USA, where just this Monday, in Buffalo, an 18-year-old boy, Payton S. Gendron, killed 10 African Americans just because they were black. The whole thing was streamed on a popular video platform, commenting with racist stereotypes against African Americans.
To all the racists: the only thing that determines a person's value is their brain and you keep it so small..."
