Arnaldo Pomodoro’s La Grande Prua monument to Fellini
Arnaldo Pomodoro. the world famous sculptor, whose works are displayed in cities across the world, was an obvious choice when RImini decided to formally recognise its famous son Federico Fellini with a monument by his tomb in the city cemetery. Pomodoro, after all, is a romagnolo, having been born in the nearby town of Morciano di Romagna (in 1926).
His beautiful monument to Fellini, the great prow (La Grande Prua) takes its inspiration from Fellini’s ship themes both in E la nave va (1983) and perhaps more significantly (for Rimini) in Amarcord (1973).
Speaking to ArchiMagazine Pomodoro said
The prow of the boat seams to cut an ideal course between the earth, the water, the air; it represents the greatness of Fellini’s work, which, beyond death, continues to stand the test of time, history, experience.
To concretise this emotion, I built a double triangle with two sides, like a simple prow, ideal, in a shining bronze, that inside is loaded with imprints and signs typical of my style, that want to express the turbine of life and the continuous research. In the cemetery in Rimini, near the tomb of Federico Fellini – where his wife Giulietta Masina is also buried – the sculpture is set on a blade of water that exalts the figure, outlining a possible opening of the two parts from their joining.
The monument is situated in the cemetery, so please remember the standard forms of respect in a religious/sacred setting.