Gustavo Aceves to Install Monumental Sculptures in Front of Rome’s Colosseum

Forty monumental statues of horses will be placed in front of the Colosseum and at Trajans Market in Rome next month. The works, by the Mexican artist Gustavo Aceves, are made from a variety of materials including bronze, marble, wood, iron and granite.

Lapidarium, also known as Skeletal Horses, is a traveling public sculpture exhibition by Mexican artist Gustavo Aceves. The installation, which addresses immigration, was installed in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin during May 2–10, 2015 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. It consists of 22 bronze and marble horse statues that are broken or cracked, and have a skeletal and unfinished appearance. Some pieces include human skulls within, representing immigrants who died during their journey. The work’s title refers to lapidariums, or sites where archeological findings are exhibited, creating an association between the fragmented artworks and our shared history and past. After Berlin, the work will be installed in Paris and Mexico City after Rome.

The display of the horses will be on show in Rome from 15 September until 7 January 2017.