Jaume Plensa's 'Silent Hortense' in Naples Sparks Debate on Silence vs. Omertà

Jaume Plensa's 9-meter-tall resin sculpture 'Silent Hortense' was installed in Piazza Municipio, Naples, as part of the Napoli Contemporanea public art project curated by Vincenzo Trione. The work depicts a female face with hands over her mouth, inviting silence. Critics Eduardo Cycelin (former Madre director) and Gian Maria Tosatti (former Quadriennale artistic director) attacked the piece in Corriere del Mezzogiorno, calling it touristy, mediocre, and a waste of public funds. Tosatti suggested redirecting funds to essential services like the metro. Trione defended the work, emphasizing its metaphysical invitation to meditation and the political value of silence, referencing Giorgio Agamben. The sculpture has sparked debate over its ambiguous gesture, which some associate with omertà (code of silence) in the context of organized crime in Naples, and with gender violence issues. Trione acknowledged the risk of misinterpretation but argued that public art must engage with context. The project continues with a new top-secret work expected in October, and Michelangelo Pistoletto's 'Venus of the Rags' will be permanently installed at San Severo al Pendino church.