Last night I attended the opening of ARTour, which can best be described as a Tuscan artisans’ itinerary. Work in various media by contemporary artisans is displayed in unusual locations: an antique carpet dealer, a restaurant, an enoteca, and a gourmet panino shop. At Galleria Michail I saw pieces by various artists in different media, including traditional leather book binding, ceramics, marble inlay, and some cut lead crystal.
ARTour proposes that you follow the itinerary of four locations listed below. Feel free to wander into any of the ARTour Locations – you do not have to eat or buy anything! My favourite pieces are those by Paola Staccioli displayed at La Bottega da ‘Ino (Via dei Georgofili, open 11-17 daily). I had the opportunity to meet the artist and talk to her about her delicate ceramic objects. Paola (born in ’72) is the daughter of Florentine ceramic artist Paolo Staccioli. You can see some similarities between their styles but Paola’s style is really original and she has clearly distinguished herself from her father.
Paola’s pieces are particularly fine, light, and fun. I asked Paola about her Tuscan roots and influences, and she struggled to find an aspect of Tuscany that inspires her art in particular, other than light and colour. These original objects bear the marks of handiwork – the imperfections, the shapes that are intentionally natural rather than geometric, the slip that reveals a bit of clay beneath. Their fine construction recall contemporary Japanese ceramics, while the patterns themselves vary in their references. Paola generates a metallic finish during the second baking of the maiolica, the results of which are impredictable and unevently distributed on the objects. Some of the flatter pieces have patterning that reminds me of 13th century archaic ware, while the more plastic works’ whimsical animal forms recall Etruscan ware.
Ceramic bowl by Paola Staccioli
On display for the ARTour are small objects – tea cups, bowls, and some of her “impratical tea-pots” – appropriate to the location. They are all for sale and would make a wonderful, original artistic Christmas gift.
More photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuscanyarts/
INFO: www.artex.firenze.it
LOCATIONS in Florence – ARTour is on from Dec 9 2009 to Jan 9, 2010:
Galleria Michail
Via dei Fossi, 44-46 r
Open: 10-13/ 15:30-19
Oggetti della tradizione dell’artigianato artistico toscano
‘Ino
Via dei Georgofili, 3-7 r
Open: 11-17
Le Ceramiche di Paola Staccioli
Ora d’Aria Ristorante
via Ghibellina, 3/c r
Open: 14-24
La Cartapesta di Enrico Paolucci
Il santo Bevitore enoteca gastronomia
Via santo Spirito, 66r
Open: 12:30-14:30/ 19:30-23 (closed Sunday Lunch)
Le Ceramiche di Bruno Gambone.
1 comment
Cathrine says:
Apr 21, 2010
This is beautiful! That you will only see in Italy! Noccia Gallery in Cortona, has some of my paintings. I love Italy!