After a long journey, the artwork Integration finds its place within the Jago Museum, becoming an integral part of the exhibition. This sculpture, composed of black and white marble, tells a story of vulnerability, resilience, and transformation, offering visitors a deeply reflective experience.
Integration: Jago Museum Welcomes A New Work
The Story Of The Artwork
Originally created in 2022 under the title Italian Marble, the sculpture depicts a young man lying on his side, in a pose that expresses fragility and introspection. The original title aimed to spark a reflection on the contrast between national identity and skin color, challenging stereotypes associated with the concept of “Italianity.” The black marble, extracted from an Italian quarry, serves as a medium for questioning what it truly means to belong to a community, beyond appearances.
The artwork has undergone an intense journey before arriving at the Jago Museum. In 2022, it spent a month at sea aboard the Ocean Viking, the SOS Mediterranee rescue ship, bearing witness to the suffering of those who embark on perilous journeys to escape war and hardship. It was later exhibited at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, in collaboration with Lega Serie A and Sport e Salute, as part of an important anti-racism project. The sculpture then moved to another deeply symbolic setting: the cobblestones of Ponte Sant’Angelo, among Bernini’s baroque statues, where it was repeatedly vandalized and reduced to pieces.
From Wounds To Rebirth
Following the acts of vandalism in Rome, Jago chose not to simply restore the artwork but to give it a new meaning. He reintegrated the missing parts using white marble from the same quarry as the original black marble, transforming the sculpture into a powerful metaphor for contemporary society. This act gave birth to the new title of the artwork: Integration.
It is not merely a physical fusion of two types of marble but a profound message: the need to mend the fractures within our society, to overcome divisions, and to embrace the complexity of encounters between different cultures and histories.
Integration At Jago Museum
The installation of Integration within the Jago Museum marks a new chapter in the artwork’s story. In this space, the sculpture is not just an object to be observed but an invitation to reflect on the dynamics of inclusion and coexistence. Its scars become testimonies of a shared journey, where pain transforms into beauty and brokenness becomes a symbol of unity.
With Integration, Jago reaffirms the power of art to spark dialogue and change. A work that urges us to look beyond the surface, to recognize strength in fragility, and to understand that every wound can become part of a greater beauty.
A new piece is added to the Jago Museum’s journey, where sculpture is not just matter, but narration and a vision for the future.