Controversial TOH Bull Sculpture Installed in Turin Public Squares

A large, overweight bull sculpture named TOH has been installed in three locations in Turin's historic center: via Lagrange 31, piazza Arbarello, and piazzale Valdo Fusi. Created by artist Nicola Russo, the two-meter-tall work was donated to the city. Smaller versions will be auctioned, with 20% of proceeds going to the Fondazione Piemontese per la Ricerca sul Cancro. Despite its hippopotamus-like appearance, the sculpture represents a bull that has broken free from the typical Toret public fountains of Turin, symbolizing society's return to freedom after COVID-19 lockdowns. Mayor Chiara Appendino inaugurated the work and praised it on Facebook as a manifesto of rebirth and inclusivity. The sculpture has drawn criticism for being a superficial public art project lacking merit, especially given Turin's international reputation for innovative contemporary art, exemplified by the Luci d'Artista light installations. Critics argue that the work relies on empty rhetoric and that the city should have used competitive selection processes for public art.