Maupal paints Gigi Proietti mural on Teatro Brancaccio shutter in Rome

On the day of Gigi Proietti's funeral, the Teatro Brancaccio in Rome unveiled a mural dedicated to the late actor on its shutter along Via Merulana. The work was created by street artist Maupal (Mauro Pallotta), known for his 2014 'Superpope' graffiti of Pope Francis as a superhero. Commissioned by artistic director Alessandro Longobardi, the portrait was completed in a single day. Maupal chose an uncommon image of Proietti, not found online, and added '18 18 18 18' on the background, referencing one of Proietti's famous jokes. The artist emphasized Proietti's Romanesque humor, never vulgar, comparing him to Alberto Sordi. Maupal, a Roman himself, felt a visceral connection to Proietti, describing the mural as painting a relative. Meanwhile, actor Tullio Solenghi proposed renaming the Teatro Brancaccio after Proietti, a suggestion supported by Longobardi and echoed by Carlo Verdone. Proietti, who died on November 2, 2020, his 80th birthday, was artistic director of the theater from 2001 to 2007.