Dead End

It is a sad thought that just as artistic excellence blossomed in Florence in the C14th, it also seemed to drift away in the C18th.  By the C19th I have found little if anything of note being painted here and while it remains home to thousands of aspiring artists, the avant-garde of art has long since departed Florence.

This summer it is refreshing therefore to find that some graffiti artists are 'decorating' street signs around the city with amusing and yet sometimes reflective images.  One shows a stick man 'climbing out' of the white bar in a 'no entry' sign, while another appeared last week outside the Anglican Church showing a condom covering the same white bar (a reference to Anglicans' views on contraceptive being different to official Catholic teaching?).

But my favourite is a 'dead end' sign turned into a crucifix:

 



The image is powerful and the red cross piece reminds me of the red curtains used by the C15th Dutch artist van der Wayden to suggest the shedding of blood:

 

 

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the image is the idea of the crucifixion as a 'dead-end'.

So all my Christian friends will be pleased to know that the road in question, the Borgo la Noce (lit. translation "Village Walnut"!?) is not an absolute dead end.  Its just that half way down you need to abandon your car and proceed on foot to the restaurant (presumably for a heavenly banquet!).  I think you will find that in the resurrection Jesus is always walking (in the garden, to Emmaus... ) having left donkeys and all other forms of assisted transport behind (you really can't get to heaven in an old Ford car).

For those who are interested, a quick internet search reveals the artist to be a Frenchman called Clet Abraham who lives in Florence but has also produced works in Rome and London.