Italian artist BLU was recently in Chiomonte Italy where he experienced the arrest and conviction of four No Tav activists found guilty of “corruption” and initially accused of terrorism (charges expired), the same happened now a couple of weeks ago to Lucio Alberti Graziano Mazzarelli and Francesco Sala who were accused of vandalism, possession of weapon and violence against the police.
The conflict between police forces, political authorities and railway companies on the one hand and protesters, anarchists, environmental groups, militants five stars youth and community centres, on the other has lasted for years and it doesn’t seem to come and end.
BLU’s original idea was to paint the mural near the center, but the police, perhaps fearing new riots, decided to surround the area and keep it guarded. The only option at the moment was along a railway underpass where he painted The Train, The Serpent and The Capital featuring a snake that swallows itself in the form of a train and in the middle of the circle bulldozers, police vans and a symbolic pile of banknotes probably referring to the corruption surrounding the case.
Certainly a symbolic piece that express not just anger, but also a feeling of powerlessness against a reality that is difficult (but not impossible) to change.
Images via Artribune
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
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