Critique of poor-quality public art for Falcone memorial in Palermo

On May 23, Palermo saw two controversial public art projects commemorating anti-mafia figures. Sculptor Salvatore Gottuso installed "17 e cinquantotto" on via Cavour, a graphic tableau of rubble, a shrouded mannequin, and simulated body parts and blood, described as gratuitous horror and bad taste. The work was permitted with city councilors attending the opening. Separately, a mural by Marisa Polizzi at the Ninni Cassarà high school, part of the S.O.S. Scuola project by L'Alveare Cinema in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, was criticized as amateurish and technically weak. The article argues that neither work meets quality standards for public art, questioning the lack of curatorial oversight and the tendency to prioritize rhetoric over excellence in socially engaged art.