Milan rejects breastfeeding statue by Vera Omodeo, sparking political controversy

A bronze statue of a breastfeeding woman by Vera Omodeo, donated to the city of Milan by her children, has been rejected for installation in Piazza Eleonora Duse by the city's public art commission. The commission deemed the work, titled 'Dal latte materno veniamo,' as conveying 'values not shared' due to its 'exquisitely religious' treatment of motherhood. The decision has ignited political debate, with Senate President Ignazio La Russa proposing to display the statue at Palazzo Madama as an 'hymn to motherhood.' Milan's mayor Beppe Sala, initially asking the commission to reconsider, later suggested placing the statue at the Mangiagalli hospital, following a proposal by journalist Enrico Mentana. The artist's daughter, Serena Omodeo Salè, criticized the decision, noting that Milan has only two statues dedicated to women and that the work was created by a female artist. The controversy highlights the gender disparity in public monuments and raises questions about the criteria for public art placement. Vera Omodeo, who died in 2023 at nearly 100, was a sculptor and ceramist trained at Brera Academy; her most famous work is the bronze portal of the Romanian Orthodox Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Milan.