Florence is one of the great art cities, and for many people it is the central point where all the great works can be seen, because of the amazing collections found in the immensely popular local museums and galleries. Artists from all over the world come here to test their craft and to make a home. It’s been that way for hundreds of years, and there’s never a better time than the present. This is as true for traveling, where one might want to visit an Italian city, see great art, and spend time in an Italian hotel. Florence is also in a spectacular position in the present for artists wanting to make something new.
The vibrant energy of the city is itself inspiring, where there are always interesting crowds that make for great people watching, and a daily experience of life that is based on pleasure and beauty. For the locals, even a bad day isn’t all that bad, because there is the splendid culinary tradition that can transform a moment into one of sheer perfection and bliss. And for artists, every moment holds the possibility of unlimited transformations. It’s not all about the classical work, although the city famously celebrates it. It’s also a place with an atmosphere where the classical moments can inspire and inform the present moment.
Places such as Teatro Studio Scandicci are instrumental in keeping new forms moving in new directions. Drawing on the ideas of the past, they have been working for over 20 years on developing links between art and architecture, and have drawn some of the greatest talents in this field. It gives an open space where artists like Maia Anthea Marinelli can test and develop their theories along with established visionaries like Vito Acconci. There is plenty of ground to be broken, and archeologies of knowledge to be unsurfaced, making room for the new in the setting of a glorious past.