The mayor of Cosenza, Franz Caruso, decided to “evict” the statue of Giacomo Mancini, placed in 2022 in front of the Municipality on the initiative of the municipal administration itself. This was stated in a note by the foundation named after the former minister and former mayor of Cosenza, chaired by his son Pietro.
«On January 2 – it is said in the foundation’s press release – Mayor Caruso signed a letter, then sent via certified email to us on January 8, in which he explains that ‘it is intended to proceed with the placement of further and different works of art’ art, understood as an inseparable ‘unicum’, donated by the Bilotti family, as part of Mab, the Bilotti open-air museum, whose urban perimeter has been contractually limited to the area of the city center of Cosenza. Nevertheless it was Mayor Caruso himself, with a council resolution, who agreed on the current location of the statuewhich has a clear symbolic value as it is in front of the Town Hall from which Giacomo Mancini led the city for ten years, leaving a mark still remembered today by the people of Cosenza. Caruso now asks you to suggest, within ten days, another location, adding that ‘in the event of no response, the statue will be returned'”.
“We are speechless – states the foundation – this is an offense to all the people of Cosenza”. The statue of Mancini was created by the sculptor Domenico Sepe on the initiative of the Foundation «thanks to the donations of many citizens».