On August 16, 1972, off the waters of Riace Marina, a diver discovered what would become one of the most famous archaeological finds of the 20th century: the Riace Bronzes. Two bronze statues, absolute masterpieces of fifth-century B.C.E. Greek sculpture, destined to become an identity symbol of Calabria and a universal heritage site. Once again this year, the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria (MArRC), custodian of these treasures, celebrated the anniversary of the find with several events outside and inside the museum, but one-capable of uniting history, art and contemporary technology-has involved us directly.
The winning synergy between the cultural institution, our company and the Mediterranean University’s “AbitaLab” laboratory – which has been going on since last May with the different set designs that have alternated over time – has now generated yet another much-appreciated multicolored vision of great impact, transforming the facade of Palazzo Piacentini, home of the museum, into a canvas of light.
Throughout the month of August, the renovated De Nava Square, which has risen to the role of the city’s civic and cultural salon, was illuminated with visual suggestions: images, patterns and colors inspired by the Bronzes decorated the main facade of the building, creating a bridge between the millenary language of classical art and the most modern techniques of visual communication.
The projection was the result of the interaction between the creative experts of Abitalab, the Museum’s management (in the person of architect Claudia Ventura) and the graphic design department of Goboservice. The new set design, studied down to the smallest detail, was not limited to architectural embellishment, but was intended to be a visual recreation of the emotion of the find. The faces of the two warriors, the anatomical details, the textures, the references to the waves and the sea that held them for centuries: each element was reinterpreted with artistic sensitivity and technical precision.
Goboservice, thanks to the experience gained in lighting projects in Italy and abroad, took care of the color rendering and definition of the images, adapting them to the architectural peculiarities of Palazzo Piacentini, for an immersive and harmonious effect.
The initiative was again met with widespread appreciation, attracting Regginians and tourists who, in the evening hours, were able to admire the museum in a new guise. Many immortalized the installation with photos and videos, helping to spread the event on social media and reinforce the image of Reggio Calabria as a vibrant cultural hub open to innovation.
For Fabrizio Sudano, director of the MArRC, this synergy represents a virtuous model of collaboration between public institutions and private companies: “The enhancement of heritage also passes through contemporary languages, capable of speaking to different audiences and of exciting them.”
Goboservice, for its part, stressed its pride in being able to put its expertise at the service of such a strong identity symbol, demonstrating how technology can be a tool for cultural promotion when used with respect and creativity.
The architectural projection for the anniversary of the discovery of the Riace Bronzes was not just an aesthetic operation, but an act of “collective storytelling”: a dialogue between past and present, between the ancient material of bronze and the ephemeral power of light. A message that invites us to look to the future without losing sight of our roots, and that confirms how, in Calabria, beauty can still be told in new and surprising ways.
