Nello Petrucci's work "The Weight of Freedom" explores the resilience of human rights and the complexity of freedom. Exhibited as part of Dak'Art Off 2024, a collateral event of the Dakar Biennale in Senegal, the work is structured through two significant images that offer a reflection on the condition of women in the face of social pressures and personal restrictions.
Emblematic representation of freedom
In the work, the figures of women carrying burdens represent the apparent freedom that clashes with social expectations, while a protesting woman symbolically strips naked to rebel against imposed norms.
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Italy protagonist at Dak'Art Off 2024
Italy is participating in the event with a group exhibition entitled "Art and Law: The Rhythm of Humanity," which examines the concept of law and art as tools of communication. The Donà Dalle Rose Foundation, in collaboration with the Léopold Sédar Senghor Foundation, organized the exhibition featuring Petrucci's work.
An artistic narration of contemporary contradictions
Petrucci draws further inspiration from current reality, depicting in his mural a young Iranian woman, Ahoo Daryaei, captured in the act of stripping in protest. This gesture symbolizes an act of liberation from oppression and the rules that imprison individuality. The parallel between the women carrying burdens and the one stripping offers a dualistic vision of the struggle for freedom, emphasizing the need for both community support and personal courage. Petrucci explains: "The power of art lies precisely here, in its ability to question the present and stimulate profound reflection on issues such as human dignity and freedom." Petrucci's work continues an investigation into the restrictions imposed on women, continuing the discussion begun with the work "Velo," which honored the memory of Mahsa Amini.
Comments (1)
Nello Petrucci's work is very interesting but I don't really understand the message he wants to give, maybe it's too complex. The women who carry weights seems like a metaphor to me but I don't know what it means exactly. And also the woman who undresses is a strong image, but I don't know if it's the best way to express these themes. In general, the concept of freedom and human rights is important, but sometimes works of art can be difficult to interpret.