In solidarity with Antonio Manfredi, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Casoria, Italy, who burned his artwork to protest deep cuts to the arts, John Craig Freeman set his seminal augmented reality artwork, “Water wARs” ablaze in Venice.
“Water wARs on Fire: Giardini,” by John Craig Freeman, augmented reality public art, Venice Italy, 2011.
“Water wARs on Fire: Piazza San Marco,” by John Craig Freeman, augmented reality public art, Venice Italy, 2011.
Manfredi’s “art war” consists of setting works of art on fire to protest cuts to Italy’s arts budget. He’s pledged to incinerate two or three pieces of art each week from a museum collection housing about 1,000 exhibits.
You can read the full story or listen to the report at NPR.
“So far, he’s received no official reaction. But Manfredi’s bonfires have sent sparks around Europe, garnering solidarity and igniting similar protests in artist colonies in Germany, Wales and England,” and now in the virtual art world.
