Blue Banana sculpture sparks debate on public art in Pietrasanta

A blue banana sculpture by Giuseppe Veneziano, part of his exhibition 'The Blue Banana' in Pietrasanta's Piazza Duomo, has ignited controversy over public art. The show includes pop icons like Spider-Man, Snow White, Dante with a Mac, Dolce & Gabbana, Charlie Chaplin with Venus, Michelangelo's David, and Pope Francis on a skateboard. The banana references Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground cover and symbolizes the economic 'Blue Banana' region of Western Europe. Critics including Flash Art editor Cristiano Seganfreddo and curator Francesco Cascino condemned the installation as detracting from the historic square, while IULM professor Pierluigi Sacco criticized the quality of commissioning. The exhibition runs during the Collectors Night event, organized by local galleries.