The Middle Finger

This sculpture designed by Maurizio Cattelan is a gem of controversial art installed in front of the Italian Stock Market. If you look closely, you'll notice that the other fingers are not bent, but cut off. This is supposed to symbolise the fingers of ordinary people that have been "cut off" by the entrepreneurs working there. The author most likely indicates that the scammers, if they gain profit, divide it between each other, whereas if they lose money, the debt is divided between small investors and others.

The name of this statue is L.O.V.E, which stands for Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità (Freedom, Hate, Vengeance and Eternity). The author never commented on the true meaning of this sculpture, but people assume that it could also be a fascist salutation if it weren't for the severed fingers.

While it was supposed to stay there for only a couple of weeks, the local government decided to keep it there for an unspecified period of time. The nearest metro station to this sculpture is Cordusio (line 1).