Spindles, a work by contemporary artist Loris Cecchini, is installed in front of the medieval walls of the city, along Via Cavour. This suoerb sculpture was donated by the Cassa di Risparmio di Prato Foundation as a sign of rebirth and renewal for a city that never stops and always looks to the future.
The work, which has a base of 10 metres and a height and depth of 9 metres, was positioned in a strategic point of the city road network, between the San Giusto bastion and the entrance to the old hospital, in June 2022. It represents a symbol of recovery after the setback caused by the Covid crisis.

 

The Spindles structure is modular and composed of fifty steel and aluminum elements, each of which is divided into three coupled parts. The sculpture takes on a strongly organic appearance and in its development resembles a vegetal being. Each piece is inserted at different angles, creating a sort of natural algorithm that is located between nature and science, technology and mathematics.

 

For the realization of this project, the artist took inspiration from the knowledge of Prato's textile tradition, linked to its renowned textile district. He chose to use one of the most iconic symbols of this sector: the spindles. Spindles are tools used for spinning and are perfectly suited to representing a moment of working rebirth for this important sector. This sculpture, however, cannot be interpreted with a single solution, but also represents a social evaluation of a city characterized by pluralism and dynamic collectivity, embracing the values that are dear to Prato workers. Loris Cecchini knows Prato and its vocation for contemporaneity well. He also collaborated with the Pecci Centre and the Municipality to create Waterbones, a permanent installation set up on the facade of the Lazzerini Library.