During the Youth Forum in Sochi, Russia, an unusual event occurred that has already sparked a storm of controversy in Italy: the street artist from Naples, Ciro Cirullo, known as Jorit, had the opportunity to take a selfie with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After Putin's speech on stage, Cirullo asked the Russian leader to pose for a photo together to dispel some preconceived ideas in Italy about Putin. Putin's response was joking, mentioning his fear of being pinched to demonstrate his humanity, followed by the shot.
The video went viral on social media, also telling of Jorit's creation of a large mural dedicated to Ornella Muti in Sochi.
During the World Youth Festival in Sochi, Jorit also attracted attention for a controversial mural he painted in Mariupol, Ukraine, depicting a little girl with the colors of the flag of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in her eyes, with bombs falling behind her.
The festival, which saw the participation of 20.000 young people from all over the world, took place in the plains of Imereti, near Sochi, on the Black Sea coast. This is just one of many artistic projects of Jorit that are attracting international attention.
Article published on March 7, 2024 - 11pm
