The Honest Truth

Kate Moss’ legs are spread and tucked behind her head.

“Chi è questa (Who is this?)” says a lady in a purple shirt with big sunglasses and lipstick.

“Non lo so (I don’t know),” says her short, frumpier friend dressed in beige. “Forse un’attrice (Maybe an actress).”

The larger-than-life, white marble version of the model sits a top a podium by Porta Borsari, of one of Verona’s ancient stone archways.

That’s right. Verona: Shakespeare’s backdrop, Venice’s overlooked sibling and Kate Moss’s yoga studio.

The women go back and forth, batting guesses between each other.

“Credo che lei viene da Stati Uniti (I think she comes from the States).”

“Si, si, hai ragione (yes, yes, you’re right). Ma cos’è sua nome? (But what’s her name)”

The sculpture’s is part of an exhibition throughout Verona by British artist Marc Quinn called Il Mito (The Myth). It starts with a piece called “Alison Lapper Pregnant”, a white marble statue of the disabled British artist with no arms at the entrance to the main piazza. It culminates at La casa di Giuletta (Juliet’s house), which is where the real Juliet Shakespeare’s character is based on is said to have lived (located on Via Capello, a striking similarity to Capulet, eh?)

“È Kate Moss,” I finally jump in, worried they’ll go away thinking they were looking Julie Roberts’ crotch.

“Ahhh, Kate Moss,” says the woman in the purple. “Attrice (actress?)”

“Non, modella (model)” I say. “Da Gran Bretagna (From Great Britian).”

“Modella, si, si.” says the one in the purple.

“Non, non, Kate Moss balla con il palo (Kate Moss dances with a pole)” and feigns pole-dancing. “Comme si chiama? (What do you call it?)”

“Lo so solo in Inglese (I only know the world in English)” I say. “Stripper?”

“Si, stripper,” she says, pleased with herself.

The exhibition inside Juliet’s house, the second most visited place in Italy after the Vatican, includes the gold version of the Kate Moss statue with an estimated worth of $2.7 million dollars, and a marble statue of Thomas Beattie pregnant, the transgendered man who became pregnant last year.

“Che cosa significa? (What does it mean?)” says the one in the purple, as if she’s standing infront of an alien.

I say it’s supposed to be the symbol of absolute beauty.

“Fa schifo (It’s disgusting),” she continues. “Questo non dovrebbe essere a Venezia. Magari alla New York o Londra ma non chi (This shouldn’t be in Verona. Maybe London or New York, but not in Verona”)

“Mi piace,” says the one in the beige.

“Non è qui per tanto tempo,” I say, trying to be diplomatic.

“Lo stesso (Even so),” says woman in purple. “È una brutta cosa (It’s an ugly thing).”