On the façade of the MAO Museo d’Arte Orientale waves a white flag created by Rirkrit Tiravanija. This manifesto, a statement of intent, delivers a clear and unequivocal message: Fear Eats the Soul. Written in bold black letters on immaculate fabric, it calls for courage, taking a stand, and reacting to the paralysis caused by the terror that eats away at the soul.

Known for artworks that engage the viewer, prompting reflection on contemporary political, social, and economic dynamics, and for his artistic practice that focuses on human relationships and cultural exchange, Tiravanija has turned the flag into a fetish object, a symbol that has recurred frequently in his work since the 1990s.

Fear Eats the Soul is inspired by Rainer Werner Fassbinder's film Angst essen Seele auf (Fear Eats the Soul, 1973), and like other works by the artist, it draws attention to situations of conflict and war, episodes of racism and xenophobia, and the lack of acceptance of the other and diversity, all of which lead to an atmosphere of fear and mutual distrust.

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