A sculpture depicting Italian right-wing politician Matteo Salvini shooting two African migrants has received heavy criticism by the politician. The piece, titled La pacchia è finita! (the free ride is over), is by the Italian artist Salvatore Scuotto. The work is part of a show titled Virginem=Partena held Naples at the Nabi Interior Design gallery, which was organised by Biancamaria Santangelo.
In a Twitter video, Salvini, the leader of the far-right League party, said: “This piece that shows me shooting two immigrants, if this is a work of art, it doesn’t make me laugh. Why the fuck would it make me laugh?…
However the artist, Scuotto, told an Italian newspaper, “When I started to create, Salvini was still Minister of the Interior. I wanted to represent him as a big boy who plays a video game populated by ghosts, as you can see from the details of the gun that is intentionally disproportionate. I say his political message is childish, like a constant Play station where you have to identify the enemy and bring him down “.
Attached to the gun is a message, ‘Game over’.