URBAN TROPHY
Riello does not think the real turning point of the new century was the infamous 11/9/2001, as itisusually considered. The real difference between now and the last century are mainly the economical and financial perspectives: Western democracies have already started (forced by grim circumstances) to dismantle their welfare systems. There is not money enough for that any more and this is alas clearly the trend of next future. It is a painful challenge of course. All over Europe social unrests are already rife and it is not hard to forecast a tense future full of uncomfortable changes with as a final results, social conflicts, ferocious riots and all but sort of civil wars.
Recording this situation, in a controversial and ambivalent way, means making contemporary/close-future trophies. Inspired even by the bear-skins traditionally used as carpets in mountain cottages. Police officers in full riot gear turned in comfortable piece of furniture: usable carpets. The lost social welfare finally revenged.
The idea is to produce this artworks using the different national police outfit of the most relevantEuropean countries. And also some kind of “imaginary future European Police”.
The first one has been the Greek riot-squad Police carpet. Now I am making some new ones related to Italian Carabinieri and Polizia di Stato. For UK the idea is to use the Metropolitan Police riot full gear.
Technically the artwork consists in an unique object (like a real carpet): the different parts are assembled and sewn together and on the lower side there is also a resistant anti-slipping rubber layer.
