Massimo Uberti's Neon Installations Illuminate Verona for Dante Celebrations

For the Dante Alighieri anniversary year, Verona has commissioned two public art works by Brescian artist Massimo Uberti. The first, 'Parran Faville,' consists of hand-blown neon tubes forming lines from Dante's Paradiso (XVII, 83-84) praising Cangrande della Scala's virtuous governance, remaining lit throughout the night. The second, 'Da Sponda a Sponda,' is positioned in the Adige riverbed near the Torre della Catena, using a laser beam to connect Porta Fura to the opposite bank, referencing the medieval chain system that controlled river traffic. The works are part of the Mura Festival, which aims to revitalize lesser-known areas within Verona's UNESCO-listed city walls. Francesca Toffali, Verona's tourism and UNESCO relations councilor, highlighted that the festival seeks to give new life to locations within the Parco delle Mura, offering sports, music, shows, guided tours, cinema, and culture. Uberti's installations create mental spaces bridging epochs, history, art, and literature, redefining urban space and expanding its limits.