Vandalism at Turin's Luci d'Artista sparks debate over art in suburbs

The 20th edition of Turin's Luci d'Artista festival was marred by vandalism: Vanessa Safavi's Ice cream light installation in Piazza Montale, in the northern suburb of Vallette, was damaged by unknown individuals throwing stones, destroying 10 of its 18 modules. The work, supported by Iren and Fondazione CRT, had recently undergone a conversion to LED lighting, reducing energy consumption by 70%. Culture Councillor Francesca Leon stated that restoration would take a month, with replacement modules from storage to be installed after a meeting with Officine Caos, a cross-disciplinary cultural center in the Circoscrizione 5 district. However, district president Marco Novello criticized the lack of local consultation, saying the vandalism was expected. Art critic and president of the Circolo dei Lettori, Luca Beatrice, posted on Facebook arguing that art should not be brought to the periphery, calling the move demagogic and suggesting some places are beyond the reach of beauty and culture. Leon countered that such elitist views are unacceptable. Beatrice, who grew up in the suburbs, denied elitism, insisting on respect for public property and better consideration of placement, especially during a week when Turin is in the spotlight.