Talking statues of Rome #4 Babuino (2023), PAR, Via del Babuino, Rome IT

Over the past 500 years, the genuine and vernacular spirit of Rome has spoken in anonymity through six statues scattered throughout the historic center, collectively known as the Congress of Wits.

Weaving together contemporary art, archaeology, architecture, and history, I conceived and presented the series Talking Statues of Rome during the summer of 2023. Each statue served me as a muse, suggesting a distinct theme that I then proposed to each participant. I invited each sitter to share their personal story and to leave a few words behind, transforming these encounters into an ongoing dialogue woven into the very fabric of the city.

Babuino - literally “baboon” in Roman vernacular, a term used to describe someone very ugly - offers its own legend. The statue most likely portrays Silenus, the drunken satyr and companion of Bacchus, though some identify it as the Sabine deity Sancus. Over time, it became inseparable from its street, even giving it its name.

During my time at the statue, many curious passersby stopped to observe me. Yet, no one chose to sit with me.

For Babuino, the theme I proposed was ties—inviting reflection on the invisible threads that bind us, even in solitude.

Photo Daniele Ottavi