Francesco De Grandi's 'Dito Sinistro': From Smartphone Sketches to Public Art

Francesco De Grandi, a leading Italian painter, has extended his 'Dito Sinistro' (Left Finger) series—digital sketches posted on Instagram and Facebook since 2015—into public art. In October 2019, for Palermo's Festival delle Letterature Migranti directed by Davide Camarrone, he created posters reading 'ALL YOU CAN HATE,' a pun on the all-you-can-eat sushi formula critiquing hate speech. For Christmas 2019, at the Museo Civico di Castelbuono, director Laura Barreca commissioned a 9-meter by 1.90-meter light sculpture reading 'SACRO REFUGIO,' installed on the facade of the Castello dei Ventimiglia. The work references migrant and refugee themes, blending sacred and contemporary meanings. De Grandi's practice transforms casual smartphone notes into street posters and monumental installations, challenging traditional art forms and engaging with political and social issues.