Jago's Medusa at Villa Lysis and Colbert's Lobsters at Pompeii: The Summer of Kitsch

Italian artist Jago has opened his second personal museum, the Jago Museum Capri, inside the historic Villa Lysis on Capri, a Liberty-style residence from the early 1900s that once belonged to Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen. The museum features his latest sculpture, a marble Medusa modeled on actress Whoopi Goldberg, who attended the inauguration. Critics decry the work as a cartoonish artifact lacking depth, part of Jago's populist approach that combines technical virtuosity, references to classical tradition, and moralistic messages. The artist, who already established a museum in the Church of Sant'Aspreno ai Crociferi in Naples, secured direct assignment of the villa from the local municipality, raising questions about cultural policy. Meanwhile, British artist Philip Colbert, known for his lobster alter ego, has installed 'Pop Mythology' at Pompeii starting July 27, 2026, placing colorful crustacean sculptures among ancient ruins, a move critics call a gratuitous contrast. Other examples of contemporary art in historical sites include Stefano Bombardieri's endangered animal sculptures at Selinunte (until December 31, 2026, with a €3 ticket surcharge), Rabarama's bronze statues on Via Veneto in Rome (ended June 30), and her permanent works on Reggio Calabria's waterfront since 2007. The article criticizes these interventions as lacking meaningful dialogue with their contexts, reducing art to entertainment and social media bait.