Talk of Giorgio Morandi often dwells on the fact that he rarely left his modest home and life in Bologna. Some have compared his need to stay rooted with that of a snail that would die without its shell. But the image of a snail leaving and returning from its shell, may also make us think of the white vans appearing temporarily in major Bolognese squares, bringing g oods to sell at low prices, offered by mercanti ambulanti whose immigrant or nomadic existence shares little else with that of the famous painter. White vans with expanding roofs and extended tables thus project themselves on the ochre reds, yellows, and grays of Bologna streets, setting a new palette for the collective exploration of global migration and informal trade, inspiring the production of drawings, paintings, and social actions in the Mercato della Montagnola and other city squares.

Authors:

Pedro Lasch, Bologna Social Practice Lab

Partners:

MAMbo, Museo Morandi, ambulanti