Gaetano Pesce’s last public work on show in Naples

Tu sì ‘na cosa grande, the artwork the designer spent two years working on before his death, has just been unveiled. It replaces the ill-fated Venus of Rags.

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio

© Elena Padovan_UniversitàIULM

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio

© Elena Padovan_UniversitàIULM

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio

© Giulia Mirabella _UniversitàIULM 

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio

© Giulia Mirabella _UniversitàIULM 

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si ‘na cosa grande, sketch

Gaetano Pesce Archive

Gaetano Pesce drawing the installation

Gaetano Pesce Archive

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si ‘na cosa grande, model

Gaetano Pesce Archive

Gaetano Pesce, 2016 Archivio Gaetano Pesce

Gaetano Pesce Archive

Lighting tests in Luca Bertozzi's workshop

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio

© Elena Padovan_UniversitàIULM 

In Piazza Municipio in Naples, a work dedicated to the city has just been unveiled, evoking the most famous of all Neapolitan masks, Pulcinella. Tu sì 'na cosa grande has taken the place of Pistoletto's controversial Venus of the Rags, which was installed in June 2023, then destroyed by a fire and rebuilt a few weeks later. Pistoletto's work, in storage until the move, has been replaced by a 12-metre-high re-interpretation of Pulcinella's dress. 
This is the last tribute to Gaetano Pesce, the designer who died in April this year, just before "Nice to see you", his solo exhibition at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan.  The installation, curated by Silvana Annicchiarico, will be on display in the square until 19 December.

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio © Elena Padovan_UniversitàIULM

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio © Elena Padovan_UniversitàIULM

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio © Giulia Mirabella _UniversitàIULM 

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio © Giulia Mirabella _UniversitàIULM 

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si ‘na cosa grande, sketch Gaetano Pesce Archive

Gaetano Pesce drawing the installation Gaetano Pesce Archive

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si ‘na cosa grande, model Gaetano Pesce Archive

Gaetano Pesce, 2016 Archivio Gaetano Pesce Gaetano Pesce Archive

Lighting tests in Luca Bertozzi's workshop

Gaetano Pesce, Tu si 'na cosa grande, 2024 Naples, Piazza municipio © Elena Padovan_UniversitàIULM