A Mona Lisa emerges from the frame of the famous painting in a white T-shirt with the words 'Just Save Art' on it. In her right hand is a can of tomatoes, a famous foreign brand, soiled by a throw of red paint.
Italian street artist TvBoy created this piece live in a performance of sorts, a response to the continual defacement of important works of art occurring in various museums to draw attention to the climate crisis.
The occasion of the performance, which took place on November 22 in Rome, was the inauguration of the new premises of the Galleria Deodato Arte in Via Giulia.
In just a few minutes, TvBoy, the stage name of Salvatore Benintende, pasted up his re-imagined version of the famous painting, adorning it with red paint, and signing it at the bottom.
“As an artist I have a sensitivity to environmental issues,” he explained.
“But art is innocent and should be left aside. Where is the connection? On the contrary, one runs the risk of seeing these acts stigmatised as vandalism. My statement, therefore, is: 'Art is innocent, let's save art, art is not and guilty.’”
The Deodato Group, which has opened more than ten spaces throughout Italy and Europe, presents some of the most important artists of Pop Art, Street and Urban Art in Italy’s capital.
On show are some of Banksy's most famous works, Mr. Brainwash's unique pieces, David LaChapelle's visionary shots, Mr. Savethewall's frogs and Jeff Koons' balloons.
TvBoy, an ironic and provocative Sicilian street artist, has established himself on the international scene, and recently exhibited his works at Mudec in Milan.
“We are pleased to finally enter the panorama of Roman galleries, in the most beautiful street in the historic centre of the Capital," said Deodato Salafia, founder of the Group.
"The decision to open to the public with TVBoy seemed natural to us, because it is precisely on the walls of the Capital that his most provocative murals often appear, commenting on political news or stories hot off the press.”
