1978
‘UOMO METROPOLITANO’

plaster mannequins, structure for the diffusion of Prato-made textiles

 

project start date	1978
client	City of Prato - Ente Fiera
architects	Marco Meozzi - Ferdinando Betti , Architects
publications	- DOMUS  n.605, May 1980
	- VOGUE ITALIA  n. 333, 1980
	- Cover "Prato Mese" Azienda autonoma di Turismo di Prato
	- LABORATORIO COMUNE Idee ed architetture  del Settore edilizia Pubblica del Comune di Prato”,   2000 ,Electa Pub. Milan p.158

                                 

                              

With the aim of promoting Prato's textiles, these mannequin figures were designed to inhabit the ‘American window' that could be set up and dismantled in different international expos.

Each mannequin represents a real American person, each with his/her own name. American tourists stopped randomly on the streets of Florence were asked to take part in this action and their faces and hands were cast in plaster there and then. 

The mannequins were dressed with real garments and accessories. Everything was then dipped in plaster and glue (an action recalling George Segal's sculptures) and then painted yellow, the color of the metropolis and its pollutants.