Cinque artisti per Federico : nuove opere per gli ottocento anni dell’Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II

Abstract

For the celebrations of the eight hundred years of the University of Naples Federico II, five Neapolitan artists, of national and international fame, created some installations which were placed in the various locations of the University in the past months. In this way, both the historic and the newly established buildings possess a seal in memory of the important event, but also an everlasting identity symbol of this great University, the first public and secular one established for the community by the will of a sovereign on 5 June 1224. Beginning with the Palazzo degli Studi-Sede Centrale where the founding letter of the University, redesigned in stainless steel by Asad Ventrella, was placed next to the existing statue of Frederick II, who multiplied Frederick's symbol, assimilating the idea of 800 and that of Infinity, in the premises of Palazzo Gravina, the Conference Centre, Piazzale Tecchio, San Giovanni a Teduccio and the Reggia di Portici, to continue with Lello Esposito, who installed a colossal Head of Frederick in the new Scampia premises; with Alessandro Ciambrone, who has created a number of murals for the Policlinico, Monte Sant'Angelo and San Giovanni a Teduccio; up to the street artists cyop&kaf, who for their panels, destined for the San Pietro Martire headquarters, drew inspiration from the treatise 'De arte venandi cum avibus' written by the Swabian emperor. The book traces the genesis of this story, focusing on the artists and the individual works.