Pop sculptures in support of science

An art object that, besides being a pop-style luxury toy, appreciated by celebrities and showbiz personalities - from chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo, to porn star Rocco Siffredi, to Sir Elton John - and also capable of bringing together a collective of artists, now lends its form to the world of science and school.

In short, Alter Ego, the sculpture-character created five years ago (see the Nordovest of 26 March 2021) by the Genoese entrepreneur and artist Alessandro Piano, has come a long way: it has reproduced itself in different sizes, travelled around the world, hosted exhibitions in numerous countries, and led its creator towards new artistic experiences, always with a style that winks at pop art. Thus were born sculptures, prints, design objects and even an exhibition space and workshop, which brings together Piano's creations with those of the artists of the Pop corner collective, formed by Giuseppe Ballacchino, Melkio, Vincent Maillard, Alessandro Padovan, Junk, The Rabbix, Paolo Pastorino, Artcadebites, Matteo d'Adda, Cribrick, Monumenty and Praline Cosmiche.

Forty-five years old, a chemical engineer, Piano began his career in the family business, Com.Ex.Im, a cocoa brokerage company. But in 2019, in addition to his office work, he added another activity with the creation of Alter Ego, little men capable of enclosing and displaying, through a 'body' made of transparent resin, toys from the past and present, artistic suggestions, references to famous brands and contemporary and past paintings and sculptures. Thus Com.ex.Im - Art division was born, which invoices the artistic part of the broker's work.

"In recent years," Piano explains, "Alter Ego has grown, and not only in size. The little man was born 25 centimetres tall, and this is the version that is now called Oscar. But now there are also Big, 40 centimetres, Mega, 60, and Maxi, one metre and seventy centimetres high'. Alter Ego's collections are flanked by severalluxury art toys, which are tributes to games or icons of the past. Among these are the Tanks (winking at Risk tanks), Tokens (reminiscent of Monopoly pawns) and Myths, including large-size reproductions of a telephone token and an audio cassette. Then there are the Lamp Boxes, i.e. illuminated boxes that serve as homes for Alter Ego as well as the Alter Ego Lamps, reinterpretations of the little man in the style of the abat-jour. Ideas that have also led to collaborations with various companies, including SapiSelco of Padua, which specialises in cable ties (which become an art object inside an Alter Ego), or with boutiques offering design products, such as Via Garibaldi 12, in Genoa and Giobagnara, in Venice.

And even Elton John, as mentioned above, had a customised Alter Ego, a unique piece commissioned from Piano by the American events company that organised the rocker's concert in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and presented it to the singer.