La Bestia (the beast) by Umberto & Stefano Cinquini,
a metaphor of Berlusconi's monstrous power over Italian media
It's time again for our report from Viareggio's annual Carnival parade of large, wild, colorful and amazing papier-mache floats. Most of the creations
were inspired by various controversial contemporary issues. I wonder what they
will come up with next year; they already have plenty of material to work with!
Trilogia della ruggine, epilogo (final installment of The Rust Trilogy)
by Gilbert Lebigre & Corinne Roger. This double-sided float
featured a decadent and lascivious Italian "operetta" on one side and this joyful Indian style celebration of love blessed by Ganesh on the other
the innovative La cieca umanità (Blind humanity) by Edoardo Ceragioli,
inspired by Picasso's Guernica, won the first prize for mask groups
musical owls and a wigged cow from two of the other mask groups
two views of Embrioni chimera (Chimera embryos) by Fabrizio Galli
L’erba di casa mia (Green grass of home) by Jacopo Allegrucci
represents Italy as a lawn peopled by bugs and praying mantis-politicians
Razze in via di estinzione (Species near extinction) by Enrico Vannucci
two views of Urla selvagge (Wild screams) by Gionata Francesconi & Giacomo Marsili
Non essere sgomento… se la legge va a rilento!!! (Don't be dismayed... if the law goes slow!) by Alfredo Ricci
I can't remember from which float I photographed this detail
La Mattanza (The slaughter) by Carlo Lombardi cautions against oil spills
detail from Abissi (The depths) by Franco Malfatti
a sequence from the winning float, the wonderfully scary Rexpubblica by Alessandro Avanzini.
These still photos give only a pale impression of the full impact of the floats in action,
complete with moving parts, smoke and light effects, loud music and costumed dancers.
But you can watch some of the videos on YouTube to get a better idea...
