PESCARA. “He said of me that I am a visionary mayor. And today I want to say that he was the true visionary, expressing great gratitude to him for what he did in the world. Remo Saraceni, who left this earth at the age of 89, in Philadelphia, was a brilliant artist, who also left his distinctive mark in Pescara, giving us the concept of the interactive musical fountain in Piazza della Rinascita, inaugurated in December 2022. Saraceni spoke of that fountain as a “special” work because it had been produced here, by local companies, and therefore had an extra element in it, compared to how he had thought of it. But the extraordinary nature must be recognized to him, who was the father of an invention that went down in history: who among us has not seen the film with Tom Hanks (“Big”) at the cinema or on TV, admiring the actor while he moves on that giant piano with Robert Loggia? To Saraceni, whose works are exhibited all over the world and who has received prestigious awards, I would like to say my heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the whole city, for wanting to donate something of his to Abruzzo, his land of origin, giving a tangible sign of his skills and creativity. My heartfelt embrace goes to his family.”
These are the words of the mayor of Pescara Carlo Masci who wanted to remember Remo Saraceni not only for the Big Piano (installed for the first time in a toy shop in New York City in 1982) but also for much else: he was involved in excavations archaeologists, made “innovative” radios and record players, designed audiovisual equipment, studied air pollution in Milan, and was a shoe designer and industrial developer in his father’s company. He also worked for an electronics company that developed rocket modules for space projects and participated in the Experiments in Art & Technology (EAT) project that brought artists, engineers and scientists side by side. His works have been exhibited in many science and art museums, discovery centers and children’s hospitals around the world, from Philadelphia to Mexico, from Venezuela to Colombia. “Since the 70s he has been talking about environmental sustainability and working hard to put technology at the service of man, aiming for a profitable interaction between man and the environment. The theme of saving has always been central for him, and with the sensor that he installed in department stores to activate the lighting system of the various stands only when someone passes by, he earned the “Lighting design award” in 1979. ” of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America”.
