Many themes intersect at Mr. Arbitrium: the relationship of man with science and technology and all their contradictory and unsolved aspects, the transformation of man, the force of gravity, the suspension and the balance.
Passers-by are also wandering in front of the same sculpture in Milan. But, in that case, the statue is almost 6 meters high and is leaning against the Arch of Peace.
The meanings of the work
The position of the statue can be interpreted in several ways; being a detailed and realistic representation of the human body, it might seem part of the classic world and its traditions and, therefore, look like it is clinging to history. Or maybe it’s trying to get away from it and set itself free from the weight of beauty.
Many themes intersect at Mr. Arbitrium: the relationship of man with science and technology and all their contradictory and unsolved aspects, the transformation of man, the force of gravity, the suspension and the balance.
The author states that the sculpture is conceived with all the muscles fully engaged, intent on supporting the structure or pushing it away decisively, but the intent of his project is precisely to play on this ambivalence and on the double meaning of this action that hides this concept.
In a historical moment of great changes and increasingly accelerated rhythms such as the one we are going through, this dilemma really exists that inevitably asks us to choose: shall we sweep away the Church or the historic building, symbol of the Institutions, of history, of culture and past traditions or shall we support and defend the Church, our millenary history and the symbols of Western culture?
Each of us is continually called to take a position within society, choosing between two different ways: push or support, destroy or maintain, renounce tradition or strengthen its foundations.
Another work by Giannelli is “Dominia“, in front of the Gold Bar in the lobby.