"Anyone who comes to San Gimignano is struck by the vertical development of the towers, buildings so tall, imposing and with a strong symbolic value.” - said the visual artist Imran Qureshi - The first time I came here, accompanied by the director of the Siena Art Institute, I was struck because the tower is a symbolic subject, represented in many traditional miniatures of Pakistan: they are beautiful and glorious, but also they reflect the importance of authority and power and the need for defense and security in the violent world in which they were built.
In planning the artistic project with Miriam Grottanelli from the Siena Art Institute - continues Imran Qureshi - I proposed a work that would encourage dialogue between strong and deep-rooted cultures and placing it inside a tower that is the symbol of medieval culture and traditional in this territory. It's a clear message but without provocation: after September 11 contact with each other is often left in a stereotyped communication. Instead, I say that two cultures which are strong and knowledgable can meet each other, not clash with each other.”
Imran Qureshi – Miniatures depicting the Torre Grossa