The Art of the Refugees. A contribution of REFUGEE ScART to the Eternal City

The objects and the big canvas in exhibition at the Carlo Bilotti Museum,work of a group of political refugees in Rome, Italy, were created using the rubbish and litter they picked up in the streets and squares. In this way they have transformed the plastic, hideous in its timeless durability, into a cultural matter which one can appreciate and utilize through time. Such intervention is the result of a civic participation which can all but bring benefits, both to the new city's inhabitants and his oldest residents, thus contributing to the common good: it's their way to express gratitude to the city that has welcome them. In fact, in just over three years, through Spiral Foundation's REFUGEE ScART project, ten tons of discarded plastics were transformed into functional colorful, joyful art objects, whose careful and accurate execution, along with its fantasy, take us by surprise, and move us deeply. A new life sprung from this work: the entire proceeds from all the initiatives since 2011 goes back to the refugees, and yet they donate a part of it to the mobile Poliambulatorio of Castel Volturno through the humanitarian organization Emergency, and in so doing helping even needier people. The Carlo Bilotti Museum gladly hosts this exhibit, giving visibility to a project which stands out not only for its civic commitment and humanitarian endeavor, but also for the works' quality and aesthetic originality, whereas the highly skilled craftsmanship becomes design capacity and artistic expression.

Erri De Luca had said about them:
"They come from far away, disoriented, and with no knowledge of our society they succeed in giving purpose and dignity to all with their good hands, extracting value from the last layer of goods. They are able to discover instantly our weak spots, where very precious is their help, and they invent a way to transform a weakness of ours, our scraps, in revenue for them and help for us. Thanks to REFUGEE ScART depleted waste becomes repleted good ".