Mère Ubu – opera di Joan Mirò – Milano

The Mère Ubu monument by Joan Miró, located in Milan on Via Senato, is a monumental bronze sculpture standing about 4 meters tall, donated to the city by the artist in 1976. The piece represents Mère Ubu, one of the characters from the famous play “Ubu Roi” by Alfred Jarry. Mère Ubu is known for her grotesque and tyrannical nature, symbolizing greed and corruption, and Miró chose to depict her with a highly stylized appearance: a body with zoomorphic features, a bird-like head, and a concave belly resembling a cave.

The sculpture is crafted using Miró’s distinctive language, blending primitive signs and surrealist symbols, creating a figure that is both childlike and unsettling. The choice of this character is not accidental: Mère Ubu represents human greed and pettiness, themes frequently explored in the artist’s work. The piece is set within the historic and cultural context of Milan, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding 17th-century buildings, bringing a touch of modernity and surrealism to this historical area of the city.

The monument has become a point of reference for both locals and tourists, provoking various reactions, from admiration to perplexity. After a recent restoration, the sculpture has regained its original allure and continues to stand as a powerful presence in the heart of Milan. Its placement in front of the State Archive adds to its mystique, almost as if it were conversing with the city’s historical past and memory.

In a sense, Mère Ubu embodies an art form that, while maintaining strong symbolic and provocative messages, seamlessly integrates into the urban landscape, becoming a work of public access and reflection. With its powerful critique of oppression and selfishness, the monument invites all who observe it to engage with its universal themes, making Milan a city that looks toward the future with a critical eye, ever mindful of its past.