Saint Bronx

Year: 2025

Material: Resin

"Saint Bronx" is a work that has its roots in Ponza tradition and history of emigration. It was born as a tribute to the devotion and resilience of a community scattered around the world but firmly tied to its own identity. During the celebrations in honor of the patron saint of Ponza, the emigrant Ponzesi - particularly in the United States, but also in Canada and Argentina, where many live Ponza communities - used to send their money offerings as a gesture of participation and devotion. To visually testify the arrival of the donations, the dollars were hung directly on the statue of the saint during the procession, in a ritual full of symbolic meaning. "Saint Bronx" reinterprets this ancient gesture, transforming it into an artistic act: the statue adorned with banknotes not only represents the material contribution, but becomes a powerful symbol of faith that crosses borders and generations. It is an act of love towards one's roots, a form of presence at a distance, a way to remain part of the life of the island even from afar. The work is a bridge between Ponza and the world, between spirituality and migration, between memory and belonging. A visual tribute to the strength of a community capable of keeping its culture alive beyond the seas, between the streets of the Bronx, Canadian cities and the Argentine suburbs.