You are not hallucinating if you see enormous fuchsia pink snails whilst in Milan these days for the twelve plastic molluscs have been placed at strategic points around the city in order to encourage the Milanesi, who have famously frantic lifestyles, to slow down, both physically and mentally.
Measuring 3 metres [10 feet] long and 1.8 metres [6 feet] high, the snails are at the moment adorning Piazza della Scala and Piazza San Fedele.
They are part of an outdoor art installation by the Cracking Art Group who believe that the snails metaphorically represent three messages: their ear-like shape conveys a message of listening, the home they carry on their backs communicates a message about living and the third message refers to information technology as the @ symbol is called chiocciola – snail – in Italian.
The fact that the snails are made of recyclable material projects an additional environmental message.
Milan’s Councillor for Culture Massimilliano Finazzer Flory, who requested and championed the exhibition, hopes that the snails will help the people of Milan to rediscover their city. So far the project seems to be working as pedestrians like to stop and touch the snails. Soon the snails will – slowly – make their way towards Palazzo Reale and in January they will attempt to alleviate stress for busy commuters heading for Milano Centrale railway station.
After that the City Council plans to send the snails to three of Milan’s twin towns – Amman, Tel Aviv and Chicago. However, it will be “arrivederci Milano” rather than “addio”, as the snails will return to the city with 108 of their companions in time for Expo 2015.
Do you think the snails will succeed in conveying their messages?
