Art as a tool for reflection and social change

From March 3 to 7, 2025, six departments of the University of Padua will host TOYS?, the interactive installation by Anna Piratti in collaboration with performer Silvia Gribaudi. This powerful work explores themes of vulnerability, power, and the role of care in society, with a particular focus on women’s rights and gender equality.

TOYS? is not just a visual representation—it actively involves the audience, inviting them to take a concrete and symbolic act of collective responsibility. A gesture of care. Naked and helpless dolls lie on the ground, evoking the fragility of those who have been stripped of their power. This striking image encourages reflection on inequality dynamics and the need for a shared commitment to counter them.

The March 7 event: Geosciences at the heart of the reflection

Among the three scheduled stops, the March 7 event at 12:30 PM is particularly relevant to us. The installation will be hosted at via Gradenigo 6, in the campus shared by the Department of Geosciences and the Departments of Information Engineering and Industrial Engineering.

Other stops

• March 3, 12:00 PM – Psychology Campus, via Venezia 16

• March 5, 12:30 PM – Department of Physics and Astronomy, via Marzolo 8

A shared commitment to change

The initiative is promoted by the Departments of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, Information Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy, with the support of the Departments of General Psychology, Industrial Engineering, and Geosciences. This project highlights the role of the university not only as a place for education and research but also as an active player in building a more just and conscious society