The French work of art was installed by the sea, in the city of Pizzo in Calabria.

The stunning space, which offers a good visibility, enabled the thirty-four French pupils to work on an ambitious project.

The sea appeals to our imagination, it leads to other places, it suggests travelling, meeting other people, which is what we have been doing thanks to our Erasmus+ project.

Colourful and dynamic, the French painting measures 6.5x3.5m and can be divided into four main parts:

1) On the right there is a pirate, embodying the figure of a hero, looking out to the sea in the hope of discovering a new world. He is wearing a pair of trousers which refers to Joachim Murat, a Marshal of France under the reign of Napoleon, who died in Italy in the nearby Castle Murat. Indeed, the French team thought it would be worth exploiting this historical connection between France and Italy but in a less tragic way. Around him, you can see a globe and a city. The French team believed it was important to keep the idea of a city because of the topic of our Erasmus+ project.

2) In the middle, there is a big shark, symbolizing danger and the fear one may experience when turning to an unknown place. The shark is swimming around a compass, which is an important tool to have when travelling, it helps you to sail in the right direction. A lot of work was put into this compass as it is an anamorphosis. When facing the painting, the compass does not have its proper dimensions, you need to look at it from a specific point of view to see it properly, which adds to the meaning of our work since things sometimes need to be seen from a different angle in order to be understood. The compass also has a link with the space where the artwork is installed as there is also a compass nearby. Around the shark, the French team chose to paint a sea world, composed of bubbles and jelly fish, both frightening and appealing.

3) On the left, is a darker world, with a shipwreck, worrying and yet also attractive for its connection with adventure and history. It’s a different world our hero, the pirate, undoubtedly feels attracted to.

4) Finally, at the bottom the French pupils worked on perspectives, reminding the viewers not only of the parallels of the globe in the top right hand corner of the painting and the famous “jardins à la française” but also of the paving typical of the Italian Renaissance and the history of Italian art.

To conclude, to some extent, the French work of art represents the journey of our pupils, everyday heroes, who go off meeting new countries and new people, facing ordeals, overcoming their fears, brave, young and full of hope.