AEC Interesni Kazki 'Cavalieri e Saraceni'

“Knights and Saracens” is a large-scale mural created in 2018 by AEC Interesni Kazki, an internationally renowned Ukrainian artist, as part of the Welcome to Pisa urban art project. The work is located in the Porta a Mare district, in the pedestrian and cycle passage connecting Via Porta a Mare with Via Conte Fazio.

The mural draws inspiration from Pisa’s medieval history and, in particular, from the legend of Kinzica de’ Sismondi, the young Pisan woman who, according to tradition, saved the city from a Saracen invasion.

The work brings Knights and Saracens into dialogue, representing them through symbols drawn from different cultures and traditions. The helmet bearing the cross of the Knights of St Stephen and the turban become visual elements through which the artist reflects on cultural and ideological divisions and on the relationship between different peoples.

The mural thus connects history with the contemporary world. The past of the Maritime Republic of Pisa and the conflicts of the Mediterranean provide a starting point for reflections on the present, including migration and the encounter between cultures. Details such as the small drone introduce further references to the modern world and to the relationship between technology and society.

Part of Pisa’s urban art trail, “Knights and Saracens” transforms its setting through a contemporary artistic language, creating a distinctive dialogue between historical memory, legend and issues of the present day.