A mural of over 850 square metres, signed by American conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas and dedicated to Ornella Vanoni, has appeared in Milan as a tribute to the celebrated singer, who passed away almost a year ago.
It was unveiled by Italian multinational Bolton, on Via Melchiorre Gioia, where the work, inaugurated for Beauty Week, will remain on display for one year. Giving voice to the project is Collistar, the company's beauty brand. The work, entitled 'Flashback', reinterprets an iconic image of Ornella Vanoni through a contemporary language that blends advertising and fine art. The artist's dress is composed of a digital collage of her record covers: placed side by side, her entire discography becomes fabric. "We wanted Hank Willis Thomas," explains Marina Nissim, Chairwoman of Bolton, "because his work knows how to transform public space into a place of encounter and shared dialogue, giving back to people their identity and memory in the places they inhabit every day: an internationally recognised artist who, with this work, enters into a relationship with the history of Milan and strengthens its global reach."
"This mural," adds Alessia Cappello, Milan City Council's Councillor for Economic Development and Labour Policies, "is a precious gift to Milan because it returns to the city the face and spirit of Ornella Vanoni, a woman who knew how to be free, elegant and profoundly contemporary without ever giving up her own authenticity."
