04 | Piazza Affari, Milan: a provocation in public space and its consequences

Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

Controversial City

GROUP 4 ANDREA ZAMBRANO ISHITA SHARMA ALBERTO CRITOFORI SONIA MUHAMMAD

PIAZZA AFFARI

PROFESSOR: LAURENT GILLES JACQUES DEVISM

EVOLUTION OF SPACE OVER TIME

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

Controversial City

TABLE OF CONTENTS Timeline: 1808-1939……………………………………..............................................................................3 Timeline: 1938-2010………………………………………………………………………………………..….………………...4 Timeline: 2010-2012…………………………………………………………….………………………………………………..5 First Controversy: Different Meanings………………………………………….…………………………………........6 Second Controversy: Fixity of Sculpture…………………………..…………………………………………….……….7 Third Controversy: Uses and Meaning for Urban Living………………………………………..……………..…8 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..13 Appendix: List of Figures…………………….......................................................................................14 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

TIMELINE: 1808 – 1939

Controversial City

HISTORICAL AND SPATIAL CONTEXT – PRE - SCULPTURE The Piazza degli Affari is located in the very city center of Milan, between Piazza Duomo and Parco Sempione, which are the important landmarks of the city. After the first Milan Stock Exchange was established in 1808 in the Monte di Pietà, several changes in the location took place. In 1809 the second to host these activities was the Palazzo dei Giureconsulti in Piazza dei Mercanti, followed in 1901 by Piazza Cordusio.

Parco Sempione

Piazza Degli Affari

Duomo

Figure 1. Parco Sempione, Piazza Degli Affari, Piazza Duomo

The square today gained its formation from the construction of Palazzo Mezzanotte in 1932 by Paolo Mezzanotte and Palazzo Lancia built in 1939 framing the Piazza di Affari as they were built facing each other. Built during Mussolini’s regime, Palazzo Mezzanotte is a symbol of wealth and abundance. To build Palazzo Mezzanotte, the remains of an old theatre were used as a foundation, while also demolition housing blocks of the old quarter to establish the square. Since

Figure 3. Palazzo Mezzanotte (1932)

1932, the activities developed in this space revolved around the economic and financial sector.

Figure 2. Palazzo Lancia (1939)

Key Actors: Milan Stock Exchange | Benito Mussolini | Paolo Mezzanotte

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

TIMELINE: 1998 – 2010

Controversial City

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT – PRE - SCULPTURE

In 1998 BorsaECONOMIC Italiana S.p.A. founded CONTEXT by the ANDwas POLITICAL – PRE - SCULPTURE privatization of financial markets in Italy and officially headquartered in Palazzo Mezzanotte.

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT – PRE - SCULPTURE In 2007 one of the worst economic crisis started in the United States, following a crisis in the real estate market triggered by the bursting of a housing bubble chain ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT – PRE - SCULPTURE producing a severe financial crisis in American economy.

The recession then gradually assumed a global character, driven by financial mechanisms of contagion, and lasting with the recessive spiral that has been furtherECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT – PRE SCULPTURE aggravated, in several European countries, with -the debt crisis of the European sovereign states. The main factors in the crisis include the threat of a worldwide recession AND CONTEXT PRE3.-Economic SCULPTURE Crisis in wall and a credit ECONOMIC crisis following thePOLITICAL banking crisis, with –Figure street US consequent collapse in market confidence stock exchanges. (Bloomberg, 2014) ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT – PRE - SCULPTURE

TIMELINE:1998 – 2010

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXT – PRE - SCULPTURE

TIMELINE:1998 – 2010

Figure 5. European Leaders vow to fight financial Crisis

Figure 6. La Repubblica Headline May 14, 2009

TIMELINE:1998 – 2010

TIMELINE:1998 – 2010

Key Actors: Borsa Italiana S.p.A | European Union | Silvio Berlusconi

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

TIMELINE: 2010 – 2012

Controversial City

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

TIMELINE:2010 – 2012INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI Figure 4. L.O.V.E Statue, Piazza Affari

INTRODUCTION THEthat SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI The 36-foot-tall, Carrara marbleOFdigit now was made by Maurizio Cattelan, the most famous—or, at least, most controversial—Italian sculptor of our age.

INTRODUCTION OF THE After a 2009SCULPTURE contest to TO findPIAZZA the most AFFARI appropriate sculpture to grace the financial district as Italy has its financial problems going on at that time, and a similarOF sentiment INTRODUCTION THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI that powers the Occupy Movement in the USA rumbles in this society as well, this was the winner. INTRODUCTION Initially it was a OF temporary THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI installation, which was supposed to be there for two weeks and kept hidden in borsa OFmuseum THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI waiting for theINTRODUCTION inauguration of the of contemporary art. Here we see how “the Figure 8. News Article by Luca De Vito 99 percent” feel when they stand before the symbol of corporate power in Italy which INTRODUCTION OF THE later became popular amongst people. (Blog.ricksteves, n.d.)

SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

TIMELINE:2010 – 2012

TIMELINE:2010 – 2012

5|Page INTRODUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE TO PIAZZA AFFARI

Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

FIRST CONTROVERSY: DIFFERENT MEANINGS

Controversial City

ARTIST INTENTIONS The statue was named with the acronyms LOVE, L: Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità (Freedom, Hate, Revenge, Eternity), by its author Mauricio Cattelan, an artist recognized by his provocative and multi interpretative work.

The artist has not made a direct pronouncement or description about the meaning of the artwork, farther than the acronyms that bears the statue, so that its interpretation is open to the eyes who look at it in this specific place. He said that it is referred to the creativity of each visitor, so there is not a fixed meaning. There are lot of possible interpretations.

It is a site-specific contemporary artwork, whereby it is not the statue itself but also the context, which create an artistic and controversial meaning, reason why the creator donated the sculpture to the city with the only condition of being kept in the very place.

“Officially its name is L.O.V. E. – so it stands for love – but everyone can read between the lines and take away the message they see for themselves.” Maurizio Cattelan ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INTERPRETATIONS The gesture of this open hand with the cut fingers shaping an ambiguous symbol of “fuck you” facing the urban core of banker sector in Milan. Most people assume that is refer to the economic crisis and that affected Europe and Italy in particular since 2008, which can mean the decay of the world stock market or a protest against the credit market during the period of global economic crisis.

At the same time the hand does not do the final sign, but are the cut fingers which result in the “fuck you” gesture. Instead, this contemporary artwork suggest that the hand initially showed the infamous fascist salutation before being severe. This interpretation as a political statement could represent a critique to the Palazzo Mezzanotte and everything that it represents: the finance world as a metaphor of a new fascism.

“The hand is making the fascist salute but with all fingers cut away, like time-eaten, except for one finger, the one usually considered offensive and obscene. The hand should be, at the same time, rebellion gesture against fascism and stock exchange’s world.”

(Altervista.org) OTHER POSSIBLE MEANINGS Another possible meaning is against people entering in the square because the finger is oriented towards the people and not at the Mezzanotte palace.

“Two meanings are immediate: as a reaction from “common people” to stock exchange and money power and on other perspective, due to sculpture position and composition, could be read as its opposite: the finger flipped from the careless high power money class against the people.” (Altervista.org) 6|Page

Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

SECOND CONTROVERSY: FIXITY OF THE SCULPUTRE

Controversial City

“I WILL GIVE THE SCULPTURE TO THE CITY, AS LONG AS IT REMAINS IN PIAZZA AFFARI FOR AT LEAST TWENTY YEARS” CATTELAN, 2011 With those words, Cattelan opened the debate focuses on the future presence, after the temporary exposition, of the statue in piazza Affari.

The first to respond to the authors was Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, alderman of culture, saying that it was a great opportunity to be evaluated by all the city council. The alderman, to promote the idea of a stable presence of the statue affirmed that the statue is not anymore just a finger but an open hand towards contemporary art. Following her alderman, Letizia Moratti said that it is a courageous work carried out by one of the most famous Italian contemporary art artists.

Moreover, Moratti said the installation has created great curiosity and a great success among citizens and tourists making the judgment more than positive. By the way, the decision had to be taken in the city council where the conflicts between different point of view have risen. In first place, the opposition was guided by the alderman of urban planning, alderman of health Landi, alderman of sport Rizzi, alderman of budget and the right-wing parties as Lega and PdL. Strong words had been used by Carlo Masseroli: “Between those who participate in the development of the city and those who mock it, using it, I choose the first. Between the Stock Exchange and Cattelan I choose the Stock Exchange, since it is undeniable that the work points to ridicule the latter, otherwise the insistence on the place would not be understood " Carlo Masseroli Nevertheless, during the Moratti mandate the decision had been shifted postponed several times giving the possibility to the statue to stay in piazza affair until September 2011. In 2011, the city election had seen as winner Giuliano Pisapia. In September 2011, the new alderman of culture, to test the feasibility to keep the statue in the square had opened a public debate in Facebook platform, a debate opened to all citizens.

Is it useful to underline some words written by Boeri in the post written by himself on Facebook. He described the statue as a middle finger oriented through the sky and he has evoked the name “social statue” to describe the statue as a piece that crates community, emotions and attraction. Maybe, this use of words has influenced the opinion of people during the decision. On Facebook the 85% of the citizens agreed to maintain the statue. Thanks to the citizens’ decision the mayor approved an extension till May 2012 that has been extended for other 20 years in 2012.

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

THIRD CONTROVERSY: USE AND MEANING FOR URBAN LIVING

Controversial City

The third controversy centers around understanding the current role of the structure in this space and how it has added to the space.

It is still the earth of the financial sector the social life has been reactivated symbol and gathering point for public protest Tourist attraction We can identify three different meanings: the statue as a symbol of protest, the statue as a symbol of gathering and the statue as a tourist attraction.

To define the first meaning, we take into account several protests that have took place during the presence of L.O.V.E. in Piazza Affari. In 26 July 2011 protest of Coldiretti - agricultural local cooperative- protest to protect the farmer

economy from the action of the stock market.

The goal was to show how much of wasted money have been used for speculations on raw material instead of been used to promote local farmers. In 2013 the workers in the construction sector have protested against the government to denounce the precariousness of work. The image Figure 5. Protests against Economic crises (2008- of the 2012) protest was very powerful. The workers have put their helmets around the sculpture as vortex, a vortex of future decline. In 2013 Greenpeace also used this scenario to protest against the fashion week that Figure 10. Workers protesting the vortex of was taking place in harassment Milan.

The protestants have covered the statue with a green glove with the write “The fashion duel� a program that intends to reduce waste and deforestation to product clothes. So the statue has been used as a vehicle for the protest, as a main element for Figure 11. The green glove of the protesters. greenspace.

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

THIRD CONTROVERSY: USE AND MEANING FOR URBAN LIVING

Controversial City

The second meaning focuses on the benefits that the square has gained from the presence of the sculpture. The square has been discovered not only by citizens but also from cultural associations, music events and parties. Many events took place in this area like EDM Fest, Dance Fest and Apenelparco. The scenario of the space changed a lot since the beginning where at once people used to protest now Figure 12. Cultural Space people and tourist enjoys the individuality and uniqueness of this piazza.

Today, the sculpture has added a tourist attraction to Piazza Affari. An obvious way to track its engagement and some visitor’s perspective of the piazza is with the use of social media, specifically Instagram.

The photos chosen focus on tourists and how they choose to engage with the space.

There are some tourists who visit the space and include the history and some facts about the sculpture (shown in Figure 13a). Then there are tourists who visit the sculpture and for them it gives them a reason to be vulgur in a public space. It is as if the sculpture gives them persission to disobey social norms and express profanity – in person and virtually on instagram (shown in Figures 13b-13f).

Figure 13a.

“Such an interesting sculpture, which is now called a work of modern art, can be seen in the very heart of Milan, in Affari Square, where the Milan Stock Exchange building is located. The monument to the middle finger was supposed to stand there for only 2 days, in order to annoy the employees of the exchange, but it was delayed. Apparently Milanese liked this symbolic monument too much)”

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

THIRD CONTROVERSY: USE AND MEANING FOR URBAN LIVING

Controversial City

Figure 13b. “We’re a couple of quads on tour and we don’t give a fuck””

Figure 13c. “The freshest in school”

Figure 13d. “It’s fucking Friday, bitches!”

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

THIRD CONTROVERSY: USE AND MEANING FOR URBAN LIVING

Controversial City

Figure 13e. “L.O.V.E. by Maurizio Cattelan.

The 99% salutes the 1%.”

Figure 13f. “It’s fucking Friday, bitches!”

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

THIRD CONTROVERSY: USE AND MEANING FOR URBAN LIVING

Controversial City

Some visitors use the opportunity to respond to the space with anti-fascism and antiwhite supremacist captions. Specifically, the Instagram post with the caption “BLKKK SKKKNHEAD” is a reference to rapper and artist Kanye West’s song Black Skinhead (Figure 10g). In addition, the triple “K’s” in the caption references the KKK in America, a white supremacist group. Adding “black” in front of “skinhead” is a form of protesting the idea of neo-Nazism and racism that has boldly resurfaced in todays time. This Instagram post can be seen as evidence as the timeless meaning of the statue in reference to white supremacy and neo-Nazism still existing and efforts to combat this ideology even at the present moment. In Figure 10h, a protest of climate change coincidentally ends at the statue, which the protesters feel is fitting for their cause – connecting capitalism with environmental damage.

Figure 10g. “BLKKK SKKKN HEAD”

Figure 10h. “The #BIKESTRIKE ends up in Piazza Affari, a symbol of the economic system that caused the environmental crisis. We started to not stop #latobmilano #milano #fridaysforfuture #fff #fffmilano #climatechange #climatestrike #gretathunberg #fridayforfutureitaly”

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

CONCLUSION

Controversial City

The sculpture that was only supposed to last for two weeks, has given Milan a space for tourists and residents to use their voices to protest and advocate for many ideologies: This is the evolution of the sculpture: from making a statement on the meaning of a business square in terms of fascism and wealth to creating a space for citizens to voice their concerns across many topics ranging from farming, climate change, white supremacy and oppression of minorities. Even the posts in which visitors make no comment on the history of the sculpture, and simply use it as an excuse to be vulgar can be seen as important in terms of expressing yourself regardless of the setting – being bold and being heard with no reservation.

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

APPENDIX: LIST OF FIGURES

Controversial City

Figure 1. Parco Sempione, Piazza Degli Affari, Piazza Duomo………………………....3 Figure 2. Palazzo Lancia (1939) …………………...…………………...……………….3 Figure 3. Palazzo Mezzenotte (1932) …………………...………………….....................3 Figure 4. Economic Crisis in wall street US…………………...…………………...……4 Figure 5. European Leaders vow to fight financial Crisis…………………...…………..4 Figure 6. News Article by Luca De Vito…………………...…………………................4 Figure 7. L.O.V.E Statue, Piazza Affari…………………...…………………...………..5 Figure 8. Cultural Space……………...…………………...…………………...………..5 Figure 9. Protests against Economic crises (2008-2012) ……………...………………..8 Figure 10. Workers protesting the vortex of harassment……………...…………………8 Figure 11. The green glove of greenspace……………...…………………...…………...8 Figure 12. Cultural Space……………...…………………...……………………………9 Figure 13a-h. Instagram Photo Series……………...…………………...…………… 9-12

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Contemporary Cities

Piazza Degli Affari

Group 4

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Controversial City

https://www.crow.nl/downloads/documents/13360 https://www.lseg.com/sites/default/files/content/documents/Historyalbum.pdf http://www.milanotoday.it/blog/t_el-see-che-a-milan/storia-dito-cattelan-piazzaaffari.html/pag/2 http://vcg.isti.cnr.it/Publications/2014/DD14/Love.pdf http://www.milanotoday.it/cronaca/dito-cattelan-31-maggio-2012.html https://www.borsaitaliana.it/homepage/homepage.en.htm https://www.lseg.com/sites/default/files/content/documents/Historyalbum.pdf https://www.instagram.com/

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