The Old Town (La Città Vecchia)

Description

This painting is inspired by the song La Città Vecchia, where De André depicts the world of the marginalized in a historic neighborhood of Genoa. Prostitutes, pensioners, thieves, and other characters are portrayed with affection and without judgment, urging us to feel compassion rather than judge them according to bourgeois standards. The song invites us to see those living on society’s fringes as victims rather than culprits.

My interpretation connects to a period in my life when I was away from home, involved in missions abroad. During that time, Gianluca, Mazzi Mazzi, and I spent our afternoons painting together, creating a familial atmosphere. The painting features faces and personalities from that period—some of my friends, others public figures—who, though not resembling De André’s characters, evoke similar themes of marginalization and humanity through my personal lens.

The painting is not just a tribute to the song, but a personal reflection on individuals who, like those in La Città Vecchia, often remain invisible to society, even though they are silent protagonists of our shared history.