Nico Lopez Bruchi's anchor mural anchors community spirit in Rome's Tufello district

Street artist Nico Lopez Bruchi, born in 1984 in Volterra, has completed a large mural in Rome's Tufello neighborhood, located in Piazza degli Euganei within the III Municipio. The project, originally conceived for the 2023 Jubilee but delayed by bureaucracy, was relocated after Bruchi contacted councilor Luca Blasi of the III Municipio. The mural depicts an anchor composed of diverse real and fantastical characters interacting in scenes of everyday life, symbolizing mutual solidarity and salvation. Bruchi, who has been active since 2003 as part of the EDF crew founded in Pontedera, describes the work as having a dual reading: from afar it appears as a weathered anchor, while up close it reveals the interconnected figures. The artist emphasizes the importance of using street art as a political tool to engage communities and spark beauty, contrasting with purely aesthetic approaches. He cites a 2010 mural in Corleone, painted with Umberto Staila on spaces confiscated from the mafia and presented by Rita Borsellino, as his most satisfying work. The Tufello neighborhood already features works by Jorit, Lucamaleonte, and Giò Pistone. Bruchi expresses interest in collaborating with Vesod and Jorit. He notes that he uses high-quality materials and plans for long-term preservation, rarely needing to restore his murals. An anecdote from Detroit involved Trump supporters mistaking an Italian flag for a Mexican one, while a local in Tufello jokingly called the anchor a swastika.