An artist's basketball court in Piacenza: here is Koté's playground

An artist’s basketball court inaugurated in Piacenza: the playground by Antonio Cotecchia, a.k.a. Koté, commissioned by the City of Piacenza as part of a wide-ranging and integrated project to combat youth discomfort, was unveiled on June 6. The work, titled The Pyramid of Life, was created by painter and urban artist Koté, who involved young people between the ages of 10 and 18 in the creation of on a total area of about 370 square meters.

The Pyramid of Life depicts bodies of boys and girls with elongated futurist and Picasso-inspired figures typical of Koté’s murals and paintings. The figures, depicted in intertwining arms and legs, climb specularly into the two halves of the field. In the center, sturdy hands grasp those of a partner or companion, forming a human architecture that defies gravity and achieves one great goal: to dunk the ball in the basket.

Koté, in his first experience with a playground, commented, “I thought a lot about how to approach the court. I didn’t want to limit myself to a purely decorative intervention, but it was very important for me to express a strong message. Each boy or girl climbing on the back of another represents a step upward and overcoming one’s limitations. In order to achieve a common goal, in sports, as in life, it is necessary to know each other, understand each other, trust each other, going beyond appearances and prejudices, leaving aside the anger we often feel when we are young, turning it into a human endeavor.”

Koté’s work is part of the #ontheroad project, promoted by the City of Piacenza with the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region. The project aims to combat youth discomfort through integrated initiatives, involving sectors such as Youth Policies and Sports, Social and Educational Services. The artist’s playground completes the redevelopment of the “campaccio,” a multipurpose concrete court located on Negri Street, which had suffered a gradual decline. To make the basketball court, the exterior railings were removed, the concrete floor resurfaced and new baskets installed. Acrylic resins in aqueous dispersion from Mapei were used for painting. The new court will be available to citizens and young garden-goers for activities both free and coordinated by sports clubs, “street academies” and street educational agencies active in the area and involved in the #ontheroad project. This project not only provides a new space for young people to gather and play sports, but also symbolizes the power of collaboration and creativity in transforming and improving the quality of urban life.

The mayor of Piacenza, Katia Tarasconi, expressed her satisfaction during the inauguration: “It is a great joy to be here today, at the via Negri gardens, to celebrate the inauguration of an extraordinary work of art created by Antonio Cotecchia. Thanks to Koté and the neighborhood kids who have dedicated time, energy and passion to this project. This work is not only an artistic expression, but also a symbol of the vitality of our youth and a testament to the beauty that comes from collaboration and mutual help.”

Antonio Cotecchia, aka Koté, is a painter and urban artist from Salerno who lives between Milan and Piacenza. After graduating from the Liceo Artistico in Salerno, he moved to Milan to attend the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in painting under the guidance of Sicilian master Saverio Terruso. His passion for music and the digital world influence his pictorial language, which features cubist, futurist, expressionist and pop elements.

Since 2018, Koté has created numerous murals in collaboration with schools, public administrations and private entities. His best-known works include “Futura” in Aielli (L’Aquila), “Parolana” in Salerno as part of the European Commission’s EU Street Art initiative, and “Hourglass” for the Piacenza and Vigevano Foundation. He also created three murals in Porretta Terme for the Porretta Soul Festival, celebrating soul music legends such as Solomon Burke and Wilson Pickett.

An artist's basketball court in Piacenza: here is Koté's playground

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