Ricardo Romero’s Futuro: A Monument of Hope, Recovery and The Need to Move Forward into the Future, Leiria
Artist Ricardo Romero presents Futuro / Future, a striking new public sculpture situated in Leiria’s Jardim da Almuinha Grande. Comprising two figures, a woman and a child, walking hand in hand, the work stands at nearly 6.5 metres in height and spans approximately 3.7 metres in diameter and represents hope, recovery and “the need to move forward into the future”.
Ricardo Romero ‘Futuro’ in Leiria’s Jardim da Almuinha Grande. Image Copyright Ricardo Romero
Commissioned by the Municipality of Leiria in early 2021 and installed later that year, Futuro is executed in expanded polystyrene reinforced with fibreglass and acrylic; the base and internal frame are made of steel to ensure durability.
Ricardo Romero ‘Futuro’ in Leiria’s Jardim da Almuinha Grande. Image Copyright Ricardo Romero
Romero explains that Futuro “speaks of the future,” with the child embodying younger generations. The vase and the small tree they hold symbolise the act of planting in the present in order to harvest tomorrow, a gesture of hope toward a more prosperous time to come.
Ricardo Romero ‘Futuro’ in Leiria’s Jardim da Almuinha Grande. Image Copyright Ricardo Romero
According to the mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lope, in the current context of the pandemic, the piece intends to convey a strong message of resilience and determination of Leiria in building the future and the role that new generations represent in this path.
Ricardo Romero ‘Futuro’ in Leiria’s Jardim da Almuinha Grande. Image Copyright Ricardo Romero
The sculpture also symbolises the relationship between the garden, as an area for the enjoyment of the entire population, and time, highlighting the importance of intergenerational dialogue and linking past, present and future.