For centuries, the city’s niches and shrines have been regarded as sacred places. Yet today, the original meaning of many of these tabernacles has been lost, and they have become increasingly invisible in the complexities of the cityscape. Although many still contain faded frescoes or votive offerings behind glass, others are empty hollows, left abandoned to the elements and urban pollution.
Now, new life is being brought to some of Florence’s old tabernacles and niches. With the blessing of the City of Florence, art group Spazi docili has devised a project combining age-old and contemporary art.
Through Si può produrre identità? (Can we produce identity?) artists, Italian and non, create works of art that engage their surroundings and invite passersby to take a new yet respectful look at these small religious spaces. The reuse and regeneration process also encourages community involvement.
The first tabernacle project, in a garden along borgo Allegri, involves children and volunteers supervised by artists, offering fairy tales and designs linked to the history of the tabernacle there.
The project will continue until May 2014, involving artists Giulio Delvè, Christian Costa Brychan Tudor (from Wales) and Jo Nelson (from New York), among others. Contact info@spazidocili.org or visit www.spazidocili.org for more information.
