Simone Fugazzotto, the artist behind Serie A’s controversial anti-racism initiative, has apologised for the “misunderstandings” his work has caused.
Lega Serie A enlisted the talents of Fugazzotto – known for his use of monkeys in his art – to draw up a campaign that would signify the division’s stance against discrimination.
However, it caused a huge backlash both in Italy and abroad, forcing the League and now the artist to accept the initiative was poorly executed.
Simone Fugazzotto, the artist behind Serie A’s controversial anti-racism initiative, has apologised for the “misunderstandings” his work has caused.
Lega Serie A enlisted the talents of Fugazzotto – known for his use of monkeys in his art – to draw up a campaign that would signify the division’s stance against discrimination.
However, it caused a huge backlash both in Italy and abroad, forcing the League and now the artist to accept the initiative was poorly executed.
“I think the apologies are a must for all the people we wanted to help, but also those we angered over just a misunderstanding,” he told La Repubblica.
“We wanted to put out a serious defence mechanism, that it wasn’t the same rhetoric as before. We wanted it to be something strong.
“I often go to stadia, the fans sing monkey chants to all the black players and throw bananas at them.
“I witnessed this mess and, when I was approached, I decided to make apes of everyone: the Caucasian monkey, the Asian monkey and the African monkey.
“The initial idea was that ‘we’re all monkeys’, ‘we are all monkeys.’ But it had a limit because it needed a caption. A work of art must speak without words.”
Fugazzotto then revealed he was an Inter fan and that he was “outraged” when Romelu Lukaku received racial abuse from Cagliari fans earlier in the season.
“If Lukaku sees it like he does, it’s because it said to him, ‘[Fugazzotto] called black people monkeys.’
“I was outraged when people insulted my brother Romelu and even more so because I’m an Inter fan.
“I’m sorry people didn’t understand the idea of the message, which is totally against racism.”