Ever paused to consider why a hippo might find itself perched on a sphere near a swimming pool? This is the Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture. The Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture is no ordinary statue. It stands in Largo Ugo Irneri near Trieste’s Bruno Bianchi swimming pool.
Davide Rivalta created this striking resin sculpture. Rivalta oversaw every step of its creation including its casting. The artist intended for the Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture to observe. It watches the diverse crowd from its precarious perch. It sees office workers and pool visitors alike. The hippo seems to ponder whether to join them or remain aloof.
Rivalta often depicts animals in his art. He uses various materials like fiberglass bronze and aluminum. He chooses subjects materials and colors to suit their settings. In this case the hippo connects directly to the nearby pool.
The name “hippopotamus” comes from Greek. It combines “hippos” meaning horse and “potamos” meaning river. So it is a river horse. Hippos spend most of their day in the water and are good swimmers. The Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture is a fitting and fun choice for this location. Its white color makes it stand out against the buildings and the colorful pool.
The Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture itself is figurative. Yet its surface retains the marks of the spatula work on the clay giving it an almost painterly quality. But how did this Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture get here?
After the pool was built a competition was held. The selection committee included painter Giuseppe Zigaina and architect Francesco Mendini. Maria Masau Dan the director of the Revoltella Museum and art historian Rossella Scopas were also involved. They chose Rivalta’s hippo. This competition was made possible by Italian law. The law allocates a percentage of public building funds for artworks. This aims to enhance artistic heritage and support artists.
The Bruno Bianchi swimming pool replaced an older pool from 1954. The old pool lacked the length needed for national competitions. The new pool is named after Bruno Bianchi. He was an Olympic swimmer who died tragically in a plane crash. A bronze bust of Bianchi by Tristano Alberti was moved to the new pool.
Davide Rivalta was born in Bologna in 1974. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna and in Munich. Today he teaches sculpture in Bologna. Rivalta’s subjects are usually life-size animals. He studies and photographs them before creating sculptures in various materials. These works appear in unexpected places in cities across Europe and even further afield. Rivalta wants his art to surprise people in their daily lives.
Rivalta notes that his works are not waiting in museums. They meet people by chance unexpected discoveries on their everyday routes. The Ippopotamo di Rivalta Sculpture embodies this philosophy perfectly. It’s a surprising and thought-provoking addition to Trieste’s landscape. So next time you pass by take a moment to appreciate this unusual guardian of the pool.