Love Difference - Mar Mediterraneo by Michelangelo Pistoletto

Love Difference - Mar Mediterraneo, Michelangelo Pistoletto

2003 - 2005

Mirror and wood, seats from different Mediterranean countries

Courtesy of the artist and GALLERIA CONTINUA

A mirrored table in the shape of the Mediterranean basin, surrounded by chairs from the countries bordering this sea, is the symbol of Love Difference, an artistic movement for an intermediterranean politics, first presented at the 2003 Venice Biennale.

"The movement," as the artist stated, "combines the universality of art with the idea of political transnationality and focuses its activity in the Mediterranean area because the problems of global society are reflected in it. Uniformity and difference are the two antagonistic terms that represent the highest conflicting tension in the current planetary reality. A policy that leads to 'loving differences' is vital for the development of new perspectives in the entire social structure.”

Michelangelo Pistoletto

Born in Biella, Italy, in 1933, he lives and works in Turin, Italy. A major figure in the "Arte Povera" movement in Italy in the 1960s, Michelangelo Pistoletto is today one of the most influential artists on the world contemporary art scene. His work encompasses a wide range of media: self-portraits, photographs, sculptures, installations and plays, all reflecting the artist's conviction that art is intrinsically linked to society as a whole and accessible to all.