The sculptural nativity scene in travertine is placed for the protection of fishing vessels and sailors. And, while overlooks the underwater Nativity at his feet, gazes out into the infinite blue of the sea. The sculpture is located at the second and third sections of the South Pier of San Benedetto del Tronto. Specifically, it is right next to the water. The Nativity scene was created between 2010 and 2018 by the naive sculptor Joseph Straccia on behalf of the Italian Naval League. The artist also created the Monument to the Fallen of Nasiriyah, a short distance from the city centre.
The peculiarity of the sculptural nativity scene
The work develops around the Nativity of Jesus submerged in the waters facing the South Pier. It acts as a crown eight sculptural figures in travertine arranged in the round on the rocks. The statues face exactly towards the sea and the Nativity. immersed but visible on the water surfaceTheir arrangement in a circle was taken directly from Marian devotion. The figures of the Nativity scene represent the pluralism and solidarity of the people of San Benedetto. The Nativity scene is part of the exhibition of over 170 sculptures that make up il MAM, the Museum of Art on the SeaIt includes two other important monuments located near the Nativity scene: the Monument to Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Mario Lupo. And La Vela by Genti Tavanxhiu.
The idea of the work
The exact location where the sculptural Nativity scene is located is on a sort of maritime lookout bordered by benches and cliffs. And above all, the travertine statue of the Madonna of the RocksPlaced in a waiting position, it seems ready to welcome fishing boats safely into the port of San Benedetto. The idea of the underwater nativity scene was born a few years ago in Arthur Hercules, a passionate diver from San Benedetto. He wanted it built in honor of all those who died at sea. The work, previously blessed in the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Marina, was immersed in the sea with the collaboration of the Italian Naval League.
Completion over the years
Finally last year the European Parliament, with the signature of the president Antonio Tajani, granted his high patronage for the project to complete the work. Under the guidance of the artistic director Piernicola Cocchiaro to expand the Nativity of Jesus underwater, with the addition of the stone figures of the ox and the donkeyThe Nativity scene was built in 2013. It is under the watchful eye of Ercole, who decided to immerse it precisely during the Christmas holidays.
The future project of the sculptural Nativity scene
Cocchiaro's original overall idea consists in theadd a couple of characters to the nativity scene every year. In fact, the hypothesis of being able to create a very singular Sculptural nativity scene composed of twenty submerged and non-submerged charactersLocal sculptors could collaborate on this. All this to continue creating what is already considered one of the finest permanent underwater nativity scenes in Italy.
Thanks for the cover image: Patrizia Cicconi
