The Vela is the monumental work in travertine made in 2006 by the Albanian artist Genti TavanxhiuThe work is in perfect harmony with the environmental context in which it is located. In fact, it is located halfway along the avenue of South Pier of San Benedetto del Tronto. Here is the other sculpture that symbolizes the walk: the monument to Jonathan Livingstone SeagullThe white, towering sculpture seems to stand out between the sky and the sea in its pure and smooth essentialityThe sculpture depicts the “Saint Mark", The first trawler in Italy conceived by Monsignor Francesco Sciocchetti in 1912.
The work in its lightness
The Sail, high almost eight meters, represents a stylized sailboat equipped with a turbine entirely made in white and precious Ascoli travertine which at night, illuminated, resembles an immense alabaster wing. With its essentiality and great purity of form, this sculpture speaks to us of dreams and toil, those of fishermen. Light and evocative, La Vela is dedicated to the figure who gave impetus to the economic and social growth of the city, namely Monsignor Francesco Sciocchetti, parish priest for over thirty years in San Benedetto del Tronto. He, with his generosity and his ingenuity, contributed significantly to the social and economic development of our city.
Monsignor Sciocchetti, "the fishermen's priest"
Monsignor Francesco Sciocchetti (1863-1946), much loved and socially active in favour of the poor and workers, dedicated his whole life to progress of mechanical fishing and to the education of fishermen with a special school for motorists. History tells that in 1912, thanks to him, the "Saint Mark", The first fish carrier with auxiliary engine in the entire peninsulaThis trawler was tasked with collecting fish from trawlers at sea and bringing it ashore, ensuring the freshness of the fish. Furthermore, the parish priest carried out multiple activities. in favor of the navy and the population, as the first professional school for various artisanal activities. La Vela thus represents a piece of modern fishing history.
Genti Tavanxhiu, the artist who affirms ethical values
The roots of the sculptor's artistic training Tavanxhiu People they sink into figurative culture Cycladic and Greek of the Archaic period, from which derives the formal simplification, the attention to enhancing the material qualities of the stones used and the monumentality of the forms. Tavanxhiu's works are conceived not only to entertain, but above all to affirm those ethical values that are the basis of civil lifeThe artist reveals a deep love for the materials used to shape his works, which are also chosen because of a particular chromatic tone. This gives rise to works capable of establish a dialogue with the natural or architectural context that hosts them. Just like La Vela, which, in its location, acts as a glue between sky and sea.
Thanks for the cover image: Patrizia Cicconi
