Night Exterior

The title of the mural “Esterno Notte” (Night Exterior) is inspired by cinematographic terminology but also by the atmosphere the image evokes.

The artist Daniele Tozzi has recreated the typical skyline of the Purfina factory, in a perfect fusion of image and word. On the wall of the viaduct facing Via di Pozzo Pantaleo, the unmistakable profile of the factory closed for good in 1964 will take shape, through the artist’s distinctive style, from the words by Pierpaolo Pasolini’s “Una vita violenta”, who was able to describe in a perfect way the daily life of the Roman suburbs, lending his voice to those who lived there. The calligram is formed by Pasolini’s words: “La Permolio sfarfallava ancora la sua fiamma, alta come un trono nella pace della notte. Intorno intorno, nell’umido che s’era infittito di nuovo, in fumi, in vapori neri…” (The Permolio factory was still fluttering its flame, high as a throne in the peace of the night. All around, in the dampness that had thickened again, into fumes, into black vapors…).

In a kind of dreamlike vision of memory, the grim, grey color of the factory has been erased, transforming into colorful words that stand out against the dark night, illuminated by the perpetual flame that flickered from one of the factory’s chimneys.

The mural restores the memory of the refinery known as Permolio and later Purfina, active from 1926 to 1964, whose traces have almost completely vanished today, although in the recent past they characterized this district’s identity with the skyline of the chimneys and various pavilions that dotted the landscape and the unmistakable color and smell  emanating from the processing areas. The life and survival of a considerable number of people depended on this industrial complex, having found work in the factory or benefiting from collateral activities. The project is thus aimed at culturally recovering the memory of the industrial complex which contributed, with both light and shadow, to the historical and social identity of this territory and determined its subsequent urban development.

The artist deliberately decided to incorporate the throw-ups, or previous writings on the wall tagged by graffiti writers, both out of respect for the various art forms -to demonstrate how there can be a stratification of different visual languages of street art- and to prevent a re-appropriation of the space that could damage the integrity of the completed work.

A QR code will allow Esterno Notte to be animated, making Pasolini’s words even more vivid. Thanks to augmented reality, the artwork becomes immersive and interactive, offering the public an engaging and multi-sensory experience that goes far beyond simple observation.

Augmented Reality by Bonobolabo: scanning the QR codes on the plaques with a smartphone activates animations and digital content that create an interaction between physical and digital art, here a preview . 

Videos created by Badtoast and available on YouTube.