The local police of the municipality of Milan removed the famous mural on the theme of breast cancer "Love Yourself" which portrays actress Angelina Jolie with the signs of a double mastectomy created in Piazza San Babila in Milan by the contemporary pop artist and activist aleXsandro Palombo on October 19th, 2022, on International Day Against Breast Cancer, an important awareness message with which the artist celebrated the strength, beauty, and courage of women.
The removal of the mural has raised a lot of controversy in Italian newspapers and a lot of criticism from people who condemned the act of censorship by the Municipality of Milan.
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"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
The work had appeared in a city square involved in the construction site for the new underground line and the mural had been created on a panel of a construction site of a building undergoing renovation, therefore it did not create problems of urban decorum, on the contrary, it added value and beauty to the place.
There have been many messages from women dealing with the disease who have written to the artist to share their appreciation of the artwork or to share their stories. In recent months the mural has become a reference point for many street art enthusiasts who are in Milan or who come from other countries of the world, many international media have given coverage to the place where the street artwork was visible, and many foreign TVs have come in the city to make coverage on this work.
The street artwork by aleXsandro Palombo is a portrait of the celebrity Angelina Jolie with the signs of the mastectomy that didn't detract from her beauty; a powerful message of awareness with which the artist wanted to celebrate the strength and courage of all women and to demystify scars.
Palombo's work is also an acute reflection on the society of image and appearance, which tends to dehumanize everything by forcing us to live in a world made of fiction and perpetually fleeing from reality.
In 2015 the artist created the series entitled "SURVIVOR" which became popular worldwide. In this series he portrayed cartoon heroines as survivors of breast cancer and with the signs of mastectomy; from Disney princesses such as Snow White, Jasmine, Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, and Tiana, to Marge Simpson, Wonder Woman, Olivia, Wilma Flintstone, Betty Boop and Jessica Rabbit.
Also in that case, the artist's intent was to raise public awareness of breast cancer prevention, a powerful reflection on the disease, the mastectomy and its effects, the acceptance, the female identity, and the importance of early diagnosis.
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo
"Love Yourself" Angelina Jolie with mastectomy scars in the mural by aleXsandro Palombo
Image credits: alexsandropalombo