THE MAIN EVENT/Easter in Florence!
Explosion of the Cart on Easter / ph. @verymarygray for @theflorentine
Besides the handful of highlights we’ve selected below, the top events over the next few days are mostly Easter-related; many locals will be escaping the city for the long holiday weekend. Staying in town (or nearby?) Don’t miss our complete guide to all the festivities, from traditions like the Explosion of the Cart (pictured) to Tuscan countryside picks for your long lunch.
GROCERY/Esselunga’s Supermostra
Until April 21
Stazione Leopolda, viale Fratelli Rosselli 5, Florence
Esselunga’s Supermostra exhibition at Stazione Leopolda / ph. @marcobadiani for @theflorentine
Supermarket chain Esselunga brings the kitsch this week with a new anniversary exhibition spanning all 60 years of its history, chronicling shifting trends in Italian consumption, advertising, style and taste. Complete with costumed clerks and a strawberry-shaped throne (alluding to the “Punti Fragola” that loyalty card customers accumulate), the show is campy yet cultural, documenting everything from the frenzied 1957 opening of the first Milan store to the finer points of contemporary food processing. Admission is free; the show is open every day from 10am to 7pm (extended to 8pm on Saturdays).
FEASTING/The Art of the Banquet
March 30-January 6, 2019
Museo Stibbert, via Stibbert 26, Florence
Tradition, trends and lore have always swirled around the concept of the banquet table, of sitting down together for a bountiful meal. At the Stibbert, step in to what feels like a still-life documentary on three centuries of dinner parties: the current exhibition Conviti e Banchetti. L’arte di imbandire le mense highlights trends and transformations in table-setting, feast-hosting and food-serving from the Renaissance to the 19th century. On display is a broad selection of silverware, china, table linens and other dining accessories, some from within the Stibbert, others on loan from private collections; fine porcelain and glitzy glassware abound. Behind the scenes are Marist-LdM MA in Museum Studies students, who contributed to the exhibition’s planning and presentation. For more information, see the museum website.
CINEMA/My Generation
New screenings from April 4
La Compagnia, via Cavour 50r, Florence
Back by popular demand at La Compagnia, this colorful time-travel documentary is narrated by British cinema icon Michael Caine and highlights a legendary period in London. The film journeys back in time to the Swinging ’60s, showcasing how Michael and members of his generation mingled with the major icons of the era: the Beatles, Twiggy, photographer David Bailey, Mary Quant (creator of the miniskirt), the Rolling Stones, artist David Hockney and others. Revisit this golden age of pop culture through the eyes of a young Michael Caine; two screenings are set for this weekend. For details and to confirm times, see La Compagnia’s website.
