La navassa all'ingresso del Museo Guatelli (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
The composition of wheels is the first of the “Graffiti Path”; it is located at the entrance of the museum and communicates to visitors that their trip will be an adventure through life stories and through time.
L'ingresso del salone del Museo (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
After the two staircases of the Main Hall, we reach the landing; the horseshoe composition is on the right. If we look at the Grand Hall, at the very back, we can see the wall of hammers and if we keep going, the wall of shoes located in the Shoe Room.
Uno scorcio del salone del Museo (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
In the Main Hall
The Main Hall is the best of Ettore Guatelli’s wall compositions: every inch has lines, coils, arcs, spirals, triangles, wheels, ovals, waves, arrows and rays.
Il salone del Museo Guatelli (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Parete dei martelli del salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Un particolare di parete del salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Objects cover the walls just like graffiti; writings that accept the challenge of beauty, between the obvious and the wonderful.
Parete degli attrezzi da taglio del salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Nel salone, parete con l'ovale delle sgorbie e il cerchio del maniscalco (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Nel salone, parete con l'ovale delle sgorbie e il cerchio del maniscalco (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
The blacksmith tool circle and the carpenter’s oval. Objects that become symbols of a language aiming to give dignity to every humble tool.
Nel salone del museo, ovale delle sgorbie da intaglio (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Parete degli attrezzi da taglio del salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Parete dei coltelli del salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Knives, sickles, gouges, awls and pincers frame the museum windows and the world alike.
Nel salone del Museo, torni dell'ingegno popolare (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Un particolare della parete degli attrezzi per la lavorazione del legno (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Il salone del Museo (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Spades and pickaxes like arrows pointing the directions and paths to take. The objects making up Ettore Guatelli’s graffiti are part of the main objective of the museum: to highlight the beauty of the everyday and the value of the lives that make it up.
Una parete del salone del Museo (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Parete degli attrezzi per la lavorazione del legno nel salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Parete degli attrezzi da taglio del salone (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
The graffiti of the Main Hall cover walls and doors, columns and cornices; every object was chosen by Ettore Guatelli for its shape and oftentimes for its practical role.
Il retro della porta della cucina nel salone del Museo (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
La stanza delle scarpe e delle scimmie (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
The walls of the Shoe Room contain Ettore’s graffiti: shoes, forms, loafers, patched up shoes, creative footwear, all of them tell the story of many people’s lives because shoes, when they were available, could tell a lot about the lives of those who wore them.
Particolare della stanza delle scarpe e delle scimmie (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
The shoemaker’s tool circle has become the official logo for the “Museo Ettore Guatelli” Foundation, that manages the museum.
La stanza delle scarpe e delle scimmie (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
L'ingresso della camera dei vetri o camera della zia (20th Century) by Ettore GuatelliMuseo Ettore Guatelli
Inside the Ettore Guatelli Museum graffiti have found new spaces and new possibilities on the walls of staircases and landings.
Text by Mario Turci.
English translation by Anna Giulia Compagnoni.
We would like to thank Patrick Leech and Anna Giulia Compagnoni (University of Bologna), Jessica Anelli, Mauro Davoli, Monica Citti.
