There are projects that exist and project whose existence is deeply important.
Stravagante Hostel, which opened last July 7 in the city of Verona, is one of these. Strongly desired by the Cooperativa Sociale L’Officina of AIAS ONLUS, this hostel aims to restore value to the city and to man by focusing on social values. Stravagante Hostel has the goal to become a place of unique hospitality for the city, both for the services it offers but, above all, because to deal with it will be young people with disabilities.
The boys, with the help of cooperators, volunteers and family, will take care of the hospitality, of the management and also of the small tavern annexed. The ambiance of the hostel, 800 square meters divided into 5 floors, was curated, as wished by the Cooperativa Sociale L’Officina, also by Rame Project, a collective of street artist and urban writers who were responsible for decorating the outer and interior walls of the building giving it a great artistic value.
Koes, Luca Font, Peeta and Lucamaleonte have realized 4 different interventions, each with its own style and meaning that make the hostel a truly unique and special place. We went to see Lucamaleonte in Verona when his mural was not finished yet and we talked about Rome, the eternal rivalry between the two football teams of the city (so between me and him), his most iconic works, rap, street art, the project and its huge meaning. Below you will find our talk and “Tutti diversi, tutti uguali”, the beautiful wall that he decided to create for Stravagante Hostel.
Your work, being on the street, interacts with the surrounding, both from an architectural and a social point of view. What kind of intervention did you decide to create for such a particular project like that of Stravagante Hostel?
The contact with Andrea (Koes) and with the Rame Project existed for a long time, I went pretty surely because the clients were clear in their mind about what they wanted.
They were very fascinated by the work Mucchio di Fagiani that I realized in Rome for the show at the Macro “Cross the Streets” and they wanted to replicate it, I offered him some alternatives and the one that they liked most has been that of the parrots, probably for the color that distinguishes it. The work is called “Tutti diversi, tutti uguali” and, although the meaning is not clear at first sight, what I wanted to represent is the concept of inclusiveness. The project was very simple, everything came very naturally, I wanted to keep my style but use a lot more color than I usually use.
How was it for you working on a project so charged with meaning and with a strong social imprint?
Surprising, and compared to many other projects and places it makes you think, I think it’s a good thing being able to work with realities that keep your feet on the ground. It is very easy in my working world to lose sight of certain things, the simplest and most beautiful, and these projects bring you back to a more human dimension. The human dimension which is then deeply rooted in the Rame Project where the desire to create links between artists, friends, and projects is very strong. Something that up until 10/15 years ago was very common in the world of Street Art but that went to waste because everyone prefers to consider your own world, respect that shares it.
Street art has undergone a strong evolution, from disturbing art has become one of the main ways of the redevelopment of the territory. Do you think that a project like this can help to “retrain” the mentality and the thought of people and institutions?
I do not know if it can actually help locally, but there are cities, like Rome, where it is now almost too clear by customs. Often it also becomes a political lever to make propaganda, compared to this, I took a step back. I like to join projects even with my heart, to believe in it. In commercial projects there is another spirit, I have been collaborating with Bvlgari for 3 years now, we have done very nice things together but, of course, in that case, my artistic side is very much addressed. But when a political or an institutional reality, but also a gallery intervenes, with which I can be in conflict I prefer not to include myself, I do not appreciate all these power games that often overplay their hand on the concept of redevelopment, as if we were really saving the world. They are drawings on the walls, they can at least change people’s minds but if things are not done with the heart, they are absolutely useless.
So how did you experience the entrance of street art in art galleries?
I’ve never suffered this passage, I have not started doing my work illegally on the street and started to expose after years, it all happened almost at the same time. I was lucky enough to start working with street art in a time when there was still not a great circuit, especially in Italy, and this led to making my name turn a lot abroad. Two years later I started making stencils, I was called from the United States for exhibitions, so it came naturally enough. For me the important thing is to do my art, if I work on the street I use a language, but if I work for an exhibition I use another one, always mine. They are two realities that can coexist peacefully.
All the actors of Rame Project took part in the project, Koes, Luca Font, Peeta and of course you. What does your work have in common with that of your colleagues?
For me it is always an honor to work beside artists that I respect, I also have a tattoo of Luca, I purposely came from Rome to get tattooed by him in Bergamo almost 10 years ago, Peeta is a sacred monster in his job. For this project, we worked without speaking, chromatically my work and Luca’s work have many traits in common, but I discovered it when I saw his wall, not before.
Stravagante Hostel is a project for young Italians, but it talks to young people from all over the world, which is the stronger message you wanted to share?
We have not to forget about the inclusiveness, a fundamental value that we are losing. There are realities that do not have to be looked with tenderness, but in a normal way, entering a bar and finding a bartender with a disability does not make any difference, coffee is good or disgusting the same. This project is wonderful because it sells a service. Who will come here will not do it because he feels tenderness, will pay to be hosted and receive what he needs. In addition, the idea of including works with an important artistic value inside it also gives it something more. If I can do something to give more resonance to a project like this I do it gladly.
