No sky, no meadows, no flowers, but "only" people: the painter's attention is all focused on the representation of this varied and bright-coloured microcosm, men and women caught in different moments of an existence which leaves them all astonished, confused and sad, even in circumstances which should be happy. Surely, it's an inward uneasiness which removes the smiles in these faces and almost touchable is the sadness which springs forth, so much, the characters, are conscious of their unavoidable condition. And so, because deeply wrapped up in thoughts, it may happen that a musician forgets to play his instrument or an absent-minded tourist "in a gondola", in Venice, may even come to ignore the magic reality of stones and water surrounding him or a bride remain indifferent to the fateful moment of her "I will". In the same way, even the show of the cabaret, rolls out in the total on-lookers' indifference and, at the circus, no one applauds to the acrobat's skill.
This crowd has no feeling, that is to say, it does not show the least emotion at what is happening all around and, in their gloomy faces, a shadow of melancholic waiting parsists, as if you, who are looking at them, might solve doudts and answer the very question inside their eyes. I do perceive that the absence of a certain reply, forbids them "to get serene", to find the desire "to take part", not to feel alone even among so many people ... .
Some highly-distinguished person said that: "painters make pictures, not meanings", well I have long meditated on these words, but I don't agree on this statement, because I am convinced that, though under the stimulus of his creative moment, an artist is unconscious about it, yet "he speaks to us", revealing himself through his work of art. In fact, unless he is a deceiver, all that he creates, is the fruit of his own sensibility, experience and culture, in conclusion, of his innermost being.
Each of us filters and reads this message through his own individuality: so, the same work may be differently "interpreted". On the other hand, if it were not so, there would not be painting, music or poetry either able to raise our emotion or disdain. Well, the people painted by Prota, in spite of their multicoloured clothes, so sad and pensive, so worried and perplexed, have touched and spoken to my heart from the very beginning. I too, you too, all of us are part of this suffering universe and,just like them, behind a deceiving and false facade, we hide the same astonishment and resignation and, though voiceless, cry out all our human impotence to Someone. 

M.Grazia Pezzangora Fabbri Colabich