Historic appeal of the Roman statues

by Eleonora Anello

The statues of Rome back to talk. The Emperor Augustus, Julius Caesar, Giordano Bruno and Garibaldi are turning to the Italian Prime, Silvio Berlusconi, and launch their warning: «Silvio, do not be stupid. Save the Climate».

Realize the Michelangelo’s dream the Greenpeace Italy’s campaign in these days that has animated the streets of Rome placed next to the statues of showy balloon. While using testimonials of great reputation, the operation has definitely low cost and relies surprise effect it provides to the passers, especially taking advantage of the visibility and the beauty of artistic heritage, image but also symbol.
Besides, who would be able to question the words of Giordano Bruno when he says: «Berlusconi did not deny the science: save the climate». The campaign has also been well studied because each message was rolling on the personality and the historical journey of the character. Not by chance, in fact, Garibaldi says «Berlusconi, save the climate here or we die!», while Julius Caesar hoped to avoid the shoot out other stabbings.

The messages were installed ahead of the Brussels European Council held on 29 and 30 October, where it seems that Europe has found a compromise on the issue of funding to combat global warming, a common proposal to be presented in Copenhagen. Greenpeace has thus asked the Italian government to undertake that action is taken to contain global warming. Not being certain that the Italian Prime Minister and the other European leaders dwell to admire the statues, the association has backed up the action a formal letter.

But to make the statues “talking” is not new. Already in the sixteenth century, the Romans used the statues to express satirical popular discontent against the politicians and the Church. After a period of pause, the statues are back to storyteller in the nineteenth century, during the visit of Hitler and later Gorbaciov. The propaganda operations were then spread elsewhere. On the night of June 21, 2001, the “Tute Bianche” have reported the statues of Bologna to their old functions, or warning, launching appeals against the G8 was to be held soon in Genoa. In April 2008, the statues have not only talked, in Berlin, they wore the bikini in action against nudism, while in Turin, Padua, Palermo and in other cities, have to wear anti-smog masks hands of different movements such Traffic Kills and environmental associations like Terra! and Legambiente.

The blitz of Greenpeace seems to have had its effect, it was bounced across all media.