L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano Writer Alberto Toso Fei and h i s t o r i a n D e s i M a r a n g o n told Weird Italy online mag- azine that Venetian inscrip- tions uncover secrets of the city's past and are a mirror of its cultural and artistic diver- sity. Their study reveals that, in Venice, graffiti was used to mark territory, commemo- rate events, and express per- sonal emotions. It is almost as if the walls of Venice whis- per secrets of love and betray- al, war and peace, joy and sorrow. They tell stories of merchants and sailors, artists and nobles, saints and sin- ners. Now let's move closer to us in time, to a moment when graffiti and wall art became a powerful propaganda tool: the Ventennio Fascista. I n d e e d , t h e F a s c i s t e r a brought a new dimension to wall writings, turning them into instruments of political d i v u l g a t i o n a n d c o n t r o l . What's interesting is that, despite what fascism did to the country, many of those works are still visible here and there around Italy, pre- served as historical land- marks. In his Muri in Cami- c i a N e r a ( b l a c k - s h i r t e d walls), Claudio Marsilio tells graffiti of the medieval period also reflects the social hierar- chy and cultural norms of the time, with nobles and clergy leavingn their marks along- side common folk, each with their unique style and pur- pose. Some writings were prayers and blessings, while others were satirical com- m e n t s o n c o n t e m p o r a r y events. During the Renaissance, graffiti continued to evolve, reflecting the artistic and intellectual awakening of the time. Artists like Michelange- lo and Leonardo da Vinci left t h e i r s k e t c h e s o n w a l l s , experimenting with form and technique. Though less docu- mented than their ancient and medieval counterparts, the writings of the Renais- sance offer glimpses into the minds of artists, scholars, and ordinary people. They reveal a society in flux, grappling with new ideas and redefin- i n g i t s e l f i n t h e f a c e o f change. I n t h o s e y e a r s , a n d f o r m u c h o f t h e m o d e r n era, Venice was at the center of the world for its political and commercial power, so we should give a closer look at her graffiti tradition, too. about the history and mean- ing of these works, and how the trend took up, back in the 1 9 3 0 s , w h e n M u s s o l i n i ' s regime decided to transfer its s l o g a n s d i r e c t l y o n t o t h e squares and streets of Italy. Phrases extracted from Mus- solini's speeches were sys- tematically spread across the country, turning walls into billboards for the regime's ideology. The murals were not mere decorations but powerful s y m b o l s o f a u t h o r i t y a n d unity: they celebrated the regime's achievements, glori- fied its leaders, and promoted its values. From praising the peasant people to promoting love for the land, these writ- ings were created specifically to support fascist ideologies and imagery. T o d a y , a s m e n t i o n e d , these murals are preserved as historical artifacts, offering insights into the principles and cultural practices of the time. They stand as silent wit- nesses to a turbulent period in Italian history and some- how remind us of the way art can shape public opinion and, at times, also become a politi- cal and ideological instru- ment of propaganda. acterized, sometimes, by lit- erary flair and artistic flour- i s h e s . S o m e w e r e e v e n accompanied by drawings and sketches, adding visual appeal to the written word. Moving forward in time, we discover that graffiti was a thing also in the Middle Ages. If we stopped looking at them, we'd discover a hid- den world of symbols, names, and drawings etched into the walls of churches, castles, a n d p u b l i c s p a c e s . T h e s e markings, often overlooked, tell stories of faith, supersti- tion, and daily life, providing a unique window into the m e d i e v a l m i n d s e t , a s explained and discussed in a f a s c i n a t i n g p r o j e c t called Graffiti Medievali, present online with a beauti- ful website (www.graffitime- dievali.it). In the dimly lit corners of ancient cathedrals, one can find intricate carv- ings of ships, knights, and mythical creatures. These were not mere decorations but expressions of hope, fear, and devotion: pilgrims, for instance, etched symbols of protection as they embarked on perilous journeys, while knights carved their heraldry as a mark of honor. But the T h e i d e a i s n o t mine, it belongs to Stefania Mas- trosimone who, a while back, wrote an article for Vanilla Maga- z i n e a b o u t t h i s t o p i c : i n ancient Rome, walls were the e q u i v a l e n t o f o u r s o c i a l media. And oh! how right she is! While today we associ- ate graffiti either with street a r t o r , w e l l , v a n d a l i s m , depending on the talent of its authors, once upon a time it was how people gossiped and informed one another. It is really like that: in the bustling streets of ancient Rome, g r a f f i t i was more than mere scribbles on walls: these writings were the Face- book and Twitter —pardon me, X — of their time, where c i t i z e n s e x p r e s s e d l o v e , hatred, political views, and even advertise services and products. The walls of Pompeii, preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, still bear w i t n e s s t o t h e s e a n c i e n t expressions: from declara- tions of love to political satire, the graffiti of Pompeii pro- v i d e s a v i v i d s n a p s h o t o f Roman society. One could find a lover's poetic verse etched next to a merchant's advertisement or a satirical comment about a local politi- cian. But Pompeii was not alone in this practice. Across the Roman Empire, from the live- ly markets of Rome to the far reaches of Britannia, graffiti was a common sight: public buildings, private homes, and even sacred temples were adorned with these writings, in a reflection of the diversity and complexity of Roman life. Indeed, everyone wrote on walls, from slaves to soldiers, from women to common folk: all took part in this ancient, yet still very contemporary, form of expression. It was a d e m o c r a t i c m e d i u m , t h a t allowed voices from all walks of life to be heard. Roman graffiti were carefully crafted messages meant to communi- cate, persuade, and entertain; they were a form of art char- CHIARA D'ALESSIO When we used to post ... on real walls: a brief history of wall writings in Italy For centuries, writing on walls was the ultimate social media (Photo: Sergii Figurnyi/Shutterstock). Bottom right, Ancient Latin script on a house wall in Florence (Photo: Madrabothair/Dreamstime) HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS

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