The 2 buildings in the San Giovanni a Teduccio district of Naples, nicknamed the “Bronx”, will finally be replaced. The Maradona fresco must also be saved.
This is the Bronx… Not New York, but Naples, in the South of Italy. This working-class neighborhood is mainly known for its two large social housing buildings hastily built after the 1980 earthquake. After 40 years of waiting and 7 years of fighting for the construction of decent housing, the residents have finally gained cause. The dilapidated buildings will be replaced by new, smaller buildings, with green spaces, urban gardens and sports fields.
“We began to pose a real and concrete problem to the institutions, saying that in San Giovanni a Teduccio there are 360 families who have the right to have housing, a dignified home” says Rosaria Cordone, Residents’ Struggle Committee.
But the demolition will also mean the loss of the murals by Jorit, a world-famous street graffiti artist who brought beauty and identity to this forgotten place with his Maradona mural, the largest in the world.
“I am surprised by the incredible affection that people have shown me and especially not towards me but towards the work, especially Diego. I have been inundated with messages and calls, I cannot walk without someone ‘someone tells me to do something to save Diego’ says Jorit, the artist behind the frescoes.
“We will ensure that the demolition of this wall is carried out in a controlled manner in order to be able to recover all the recomposable parts in a location close to this district” adds Laura Lieto, Urban Planning Advisor for the city of Naples.
According to the town hall and the artist, providing dignified housing is compatible with the preservation of art.
“I firmly believe in the value of art, culture and social aggregation: it is what makes us truly human. So now that we have won this bottle for better homes, we must fight for say that after home, work and food, we are human beings and that we also need art and culture” Jorit explains.
These two buildings behind me, symbols of the degradation of the San Giovanni a Teduccio district, on the eastern outskirts of Naples, will be demolished to make way for dignified buildings, suitable for the people who live there and who have been fighting for years to give back beauty to their neighborhood.