30 Jun 26th ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO: 17-20 September 2020
26th ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF MANUAL DEXTERITY,
TALENT AND CREATIVITY
THE EXHIBITIONS:
“CITYNG: SITTING ON THE CITY, IN THE CITY AND WITH THE CITY”
“THE ARTISTIC FLAIR OF SAN PATRIGNANO”
“GIAMBOLOGNA AND MORGAN LE FAY”
MANY CULTURAL FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES
17/20 September 2020
Corsini Garden, Florence
Florence, 30 June 2020 The fairs—both national for this sector and Florence in general—will be inaugurated with the 26th ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO exhibition that, from 17-20 September, will bring to the Giardino Corsini in Florence a new selection of master craftsmen to offer the public a unique opportunity to experience the best in artisan traditions, with a focus on the younger generations, as well as an original programme of collateral events.
A diversified programme, promoted by the Associazione Giardino Corsini as part of a project by Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani, and an opportunity to also reflect on and share new styles that interpret the constantly-evolving relationship between tradition and innovation.
“At a time in which there is a trend to return production to Italy to take advantage of its local expertise, this sector would seem even more to be a major opportunity for growth and innovation,” say Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani.
“Because, if on the one hand we have understood that our activities will be increasingly tied to digital technologies, on the other it remains the case that the country’s capital depends on its artisan skills which unite manual dexterity, talent and creativity, and promote the cultural wealth of our regions,” they conclude.
For four days, potters, glass engravers, silver embossers and goldsmiths, carvers, restorers, string instrument makers, tailors, semi-precious stone and wood inlayers, wickerworkers, designers and many more will interact with visitors as they work in their small workshops, recreated for the occasion in the orangerie and the grounds of the formal Italian-style gardens.
But there will also be exhibitions under the Loggia del Buontalenti and in the ballroom of Palazzo Corsini—which will be open to the public for the first time—as well as the major “GIAMBOLOGNA E LA FATA MORGANA” fund-raising drive in favour of the exquisite “Fonte della Fata Morgana” fountain complex located in the Tuscan hills.
THE “GIAMBOLOGNA E LA FATA MORGANA” FUND-RAISING DRIVE
Again this year, a new fund-raising drive has been organized in support of Italy’s cultural heritage. A project to fund places of significant cultural value that are hidden or forgotten developed by Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani who in 2018 contributed €50,000 to the reopening of the Richard Ginori Museum of the Manifattura di Doccia and in 2019 €40,000 to finance the restoration of the works of art created for the Russian community in Florence during the 19th and 20th centuries.
“GIAMBOLOGNA E LA FATA MORGANA” is the name of the 2020 drive which involves “an intriguing 16th-century complex, the Fonte della Fata Morgana, a very unusual example of garden architecture that is half-nymphaeum, half-grotto and which, inside, housed the marble statue of Morgan Le Fay sculpted by Giambologna in his youth,” explain the project’s creators Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani.
Initially, the goal was to reproduce the statue of Morgan Le Fay by hand and house it in the space for which it was designed. But, subsequently, it was decided to restore the entire “Fonte della Fata Morgana” (“Fountain of Morgan Le Fay”) complex—also known locally as the “Casina delle Fate” (“Little Fairy House”)—which was built by Bernardo Vecchietti in the second half of the 16th century inside the grounds of Villa Il Riposo, his summer home in the heart of the Chianti area in the foothills of Fattucchia.
Donated several decades ago to the town of Bagno a Ripoli by the Morrocchi family, the “Fonte della Fata Morgana” requires urgent restoration work.
Creation of the copy has been entrusted to restorer Filippo Tattini, specialized in cultural heritage restorations, who will reproduce the Giambologna statue using complex manual techniques, aided by state-of-the-art technologies.
The copy will be recreated in its original dimensions (99 x 45 x 68 cm) using a mix of hydraulic and inert binders—powders and pigments—and will be on-view during the exhibition in the Palazzo Corsini ballroom, prior to being set once again in its original home.
“The process will include shaping through the creation of a mould utilising two types of silicone which, thanks to a release agent/protective layer applied to the surface of the sculpture, is able to adapt to the irregularities of the shape to produce a highly-faithful mould and assure safe removal. The mixture will be poured into the silicone mould and the composition of the mixture itself will be determined on the basis of the extremely humid conditions in which the statue will be housed.
But the “Fonte della Fata Morgana” complex also features a faux light red brick exterior which contrasts with the white Alberese ashlar-work stone that decorates the doors and windows to create a striking, fairy tale-like atmosphere. The interior flooring is a mosaic of small white and black river pebbles which, on the threshold, form the words “Fata Morgana” (“Morgan Le Fay”).
“Our interest was also piqued by the analysis of the architectural complex that arose around the fountain which, although initially offered to the guests of the Vecchietti family, later became ‘public’ and open to travellers as well as a watering place for animals and, finally, a place to do washing. A concept of circular water management ahead of its time!” the organizers add.
And gathering the impressions “filled with echoes and beauty, acting as a link between all the fragments of the story”, will be the drawings of the young, well-known, contemporary artist Nicola Toffolini whom Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani asked to produce 10 works, the donations from which will be contributed to the fund-raising effort.
Ten drawings inspired by the works of Giambologna that, over the centuries, have been removed from their home in the “Fonte della Fata Morgana” and subsequently lost: These include, in primis, the “large mask” of Medusa, originally housed in the outside niche, from which travellers could draw water, the “cat’s whiskers” from which the water spurted, the coat of arms of the Medici family and the Toson d’Oro (Golden Fleece) of Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the sun of the “trigraph” of St. Bernardine of Siena.
The drawings will be on display during the exhibition in the Palazzo Corsini ballroom and gathered into a catalogue with an introduction by Antonio Natali, former director of the Uffizi Gallery.
“Our hope is to be able to create a ‘new’ Medusa among those made by Toffolini—and selected by a special jury—and then put it in the place conceived for it, to welcome and refresh travellers in this corner of the Tuscan countryside,” explain Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani.
Finally, in support of the “GIAMBOLOGNA E LA FATA MORGANA” fund-raising initiative, master goldsmith Paolo Penko—together with his sons Alessandro and Riccardo—will create by hand, following the age-old techniques of Florentine goldsmithing, a unique piece of jewellery in a limited edition that will reproducethe bracelet sculpted on the arm of Morgan Le Fay, the proceeds of which will be donated to the fund-raising effort.
The “GIAMBOLOGNA AND MORGAN LE FAY” initiative is open to all and all donations of any amount are appreciated.
“GIAMBOLOGNA AND MORGAN LE FAY”
Donations may be made by:
Bank Transfer:
ASSOCIAZIONE GIARDINO CORSINI
c/c no. 50459100000004030 Intesa Sanpaolo Spa – Agenzia 8 / Via il Prato, Florence
IBAN: IT09 K030 6902 9921 0000 0004 030 – SWIFT: BCITITMMXXX
Memo: GIAMBOLOGNA AND MORGAN LE FAY
PayPal https://www.paypal.me/ARTIGIANATOEPALAZZO
THE EXHIBITIONS WITHIN THE EXHIBITION
This year, ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO will host two exhibitions within the impressive Loggia del Buontalenti that frames Palazzo Corsini.
Sharing and belonging are the concepts behind the project CITYNG by the young Florentine craftsman-designer Cosimo De Vita, which was selected by ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO for its BLOGS& CRAFTS section.
Born in Florence where he lives and works and active in numerous international exhibitions, Cosimo De Vita will be showing 16 large-scale seats portraying iconic cultural sites from around the world, created in collaboration with the Savio Firmino company.
“Sitting on the city, in the city and with the city. CITYNG is a voyage between East and West, between tradition and contemporary life. The seats were hand-crafted in solid wood, but decorated using a numerical control etcher. I think artisans of the future must be able to combine the knowledge of the past with the technologies of today, just as humanity must find an equilibrium between celebrating national diversity and the necessity for intercultural dialogue,” explains Cosimo De Vita.
Inclusion and liberation are the themes of the artisan workshops of the Comunità di San Patrignano, a drug rehabilitation community, which will present a progression involving decoration and a number of hand-crafted items inspired by sustainability, with an exhibition of art wallpaper, 6 metres tall, created by hand and shown under the Loggia del Buontalenti.
“Thanks to organizers Giorgiana Corsini and Neri Torrigiani, the young adults from the Community will have the chance to meet a select public that is interested in the artistic craftsmanship which, since its founding, San Patrignano has passed on through techniques and expertise, with special focus on environmental sustainability,” explains Alessandro Pieri, director of this area for the Community.
The exhibition will present the experience of the Decoration Workshop at San Patrignano which, founded in the late 1970s, over the years has seen the involvement of leading interior designers. First and foremost, Renzo Mongiardino who was the artistic director of the first worksites. Significant collaborative initiatives, starting from a sketch, were subsequently launched with Peter Marino, Natalia Bianchi, Alberto Pinto, Michael Smith and, most recently, Vito Nesta and Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam.
COLLATERAL EVENTS
Completing the initiatives planned for this year’s ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO, will be meetings and events designed as an opportunity to examine and share trends and new strategies for growth.
Among the events will be:
- “BLOGS & CRAFTS, young artisans and the web”, the competition aimed at young craftspeople below age 35 and bloggers/influencers who comment on crafts, lifestyle, fashion and tourism.
- “Family Recipes”, a daily afternoon event that combines contemporary food culture with the traditional flavours and recipes of the past through book presentations, live cooking and tastings.
In addition, the Premio Perseo will be awarded to the exhibitor most popular with the public, and the Premio del Comitato Promotore (Promotion Committee Prize) will go to the most lovely stand, the prize of which is a free stand at the 2021 event.
The Associazione Giardino Corsini, which organizes and promotes ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO, is a non-profit cultural association committed to promoting and preserving the quality of artisan excellence, the value of what is made by hand and the wealth of knowledge and skill that every master craftsperson—the heart of Made in Italy—passes on, generation-to-generation.
“ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO: “GIAMBOLOGNA E LA FATA MORGANA” has been made possible by the generous contribution of theFondazione CR Firenze with the support of Devon&Devon, The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, Intesa Sanpaolo, Fondazione Ferragamo, B&C Speakers, Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte and Michelangelo Foundation in collaboration with Starhotels, Riccardo Barthel and OOO.
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