Although Christmas falls on a weekend this year, making for less time
off than usual, the holidays are always an opportunity to catch up with family
and friends and to explore the city in good company! For TF’s holiday issue,
we’ve expanded our ‘don’t miss list’ to include the exhibits and activities
that you might have missed earlier this fall.
CHRISTMAS
The Nutcracker
December 18, 8:30pm, Teatro del Maggio Musicale, Florence
December 21, 8:45pm, Teatro Verdi, Florence
This year Florence offers two chances to enjoy the delights of the
ballet that has become the season’s tradition, The Nutcracker: the Kiev
Municipal Ballet, at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (http://bit.ly/sBBCo5);
and the Bulgarian Balletto di Sofia on stage at Teatro Verdi (www.teatroverdionline.it).
Gadget
Until January 14, Otto, via Maggio 43r , Florence
Promoting simple, modernist design, gallery owner Olivia Toscani
Rucellai suggests small and large gift ideas for a range of budgets. The
whimsical objects can be viewed as either art or as a shopping experience. Go
to www.ottoluogodellarte.it.
Martedi in Arte
December 27, 7 to 11pm, all state museums in Florence
The last of the Tuesday night openings for 2011, when Italy’s state
museums are free during extended hours. Now’s your chance to see the special
exhibits at the Uffizi, Pitti, or Accademia without the queues or the entrance
fees! See www.beniculturali.it for details.
Christmas with Emergency
Until December 24, via de’ Ginori 14, Florence
Homegrown aid association Emergency, a ‘doctors without borders,’ has
opened a pop-up store for ‘gifts with meaning,’ open only until December 24.
All proceeds from the sales will help support Emergency’s Progetto Italia,
which funds and manages medical offices in Palermo and Marghera that give free
health care to those in need, including immigrants and other non-Italians
without permits. The store is selling t-shirts and sweatshirts, journals and
agendas with the emergency logo, as well as toys, chocolates and items made from
materials from Afghanistan and Cambodia. Emergency is also asking other stores
in Florence to donate goods to sell; those interested can email iniziative@emergency.it.
Give the gift of family
December 17, Atelier degli Artigianelli, via dei Serragli, Florence
A memorable gift this holiday season is an old-fashioned portrait of the
family, says Carlo Cantini, an expert photographer who is working on the
project Ricordi ad arte, launched by the Atelier degli Artigianelli in via dei
Serragli and the Osservatorio dei Mestieri d’Arte association. ‘Long ago,
during the holidays, it was common to give as a gift a picture of your family…
It’s fun in the global information age and in times of quick gift-giving to
revisit this age-old tradition and develop pictures of your entire family with
an object that is meaningful for all,’ says Cantini. Florentines and visitors
alike have one day left to get a family portrait at Atelier degli Artigianelli:
December 17 (from 10am to 1pm). Organizers are asking each family to bring (and
pose with) a meaningful handmade object.
Photos cost 30 euro; for more information and to reserve, call
055/0124551 or email info@atelierartigianelli.it.
OUT OF TOWN
Natale nel Mondo
Until January 8, Basilica di S.
Maria delle Grazie, San Giovanni Valdarno, Arezzo
Feel festive with this exhibit of nativity scenes from around the world,
assembled by two private collectors. With the theme Towards London 2012, the
countries represented are those that will participate in the Olympics. For more
information, see www.natalenelmondo.it.
NOTE: SOME STATE MUSEUMS WILL BE OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND
NEW YEAR’S DAY – READ ABOUT FLORENCE MUSEUM SPECIAL OPENINGS HERE.
EXHIBITS
Money and Beauty
Until January 22, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza Strozzi 1, Florence
If you have not yet seen this exhibit, now’s your chance. Curators
Ludovica Sebregondi, an art historian specialized in religious art, and British
author Tim Parks make a lively pair as their wall text takes you on an
exploration of some of the major themes that made up Renaissance life: money,
religion and beautiful art. This interactive educational exhibit for both
adults and children (the kids have their own itinerary and wall texts), and
while the message sometimes outshines the objects on display, the golden florin
that kicks off the show is undoubtedly shiny.
See www.palazzostrozzi.org for more information.
La Bella Italia
Until February 12, Palazzo Pitti,
Florence
The exhibit celebrates the great artistic and cultural heritage of Italy
with displays focused on each of the ‘cultural capitals’ before unification:
Rome for the classical period and the Vatican; Florence in Dante’s time;
Bologna for the university; Venice for its late Renaissance painting style; and
so on. Each section explains the role of the cities in the unification of the
country, and the role of the artists in creating distinct yet unifying
characteristics in each location.
See www.polomuseale.firenze.it for more information.
Dante Illustrato
Until February 26, Gabinetto
Disegni e Stampe, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
In 1898, Corrado Ricci assembled an unusual edition of Dante’s Divine
Comedy with photographs by Giuseppe Cremoncini taken to illustrate 64
canti; only 34 copies were produced. The authors traveled all around Tuscany to
find suitably spooky locations, and the early photographic techniques lend a
ghostly feel to the black-and-white images.
See www.polomuseale.firenze.it for more information.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Atlantide 20 years
Tethys Gallery, until February 5, via Maggio 58r, Florence
Twenty years ago, three Florentine photographers, Stefano Amantini,
Massimo Borchi and Guido Cozzi, founded a travel photography agency. This
exhibit celebrates their 600+ magazine spreads and covers for National
Geographic, the New York Times and many more. The beautiful images
will take you on a tour around the world without ever leaving their
gallery/office on via Maggio. See www.tethysgallery.com for details.
Birdhead
Until January 6, Ex3, viale Giannotti 81
Chinese photography duo Song Tao and Ji Weiyu, known as Birdhead,
present New Village, which documents in black and white the rapidly changing
face of Shanghai since 2004. ‘Shanghai is very important in our work,’ says
Song Tao, ‘We photograph our thoughts about the city’s impressive development …
the public may choose to see it differently than we do, depending on their
nationality and identity.’ Read a review of this exhibit on page 15 and see www.ex3.it for more.
Megacities
Until January 7, San Gallo Art Station, via Fra’ Giovanni Angelico 5r,
Florence
Two-meter-wide photos mounted on light boxes show German artist
Christian Höhn’s interpretation of the concept of ‘megalopolis’: gorgeous skies
and stunning skylines show Chicago, Hong Kong, New York, and Paris without any
sign of human life.
See www.sangalloartstation.it for details.
OUT OF TOWN
PISA/Picasso in Pisa
Until January 29, Palazzo Blu,
lungarno Gambacorti 9, Pisa
Continuing Palazzo Blu’s tradition of exhibiting the works of modern
masters, this show on Picasso has over 400 works on display, from ceramics to
lithographs. Open on Christmas Day and New Years’ Day from 2 to 8pm! See www.picassopalazzoblu.it for details.
LUCCA/Revealing Papers
Until January 15, Lu.C.C.A., via della Fratta 36, Lucca
Peggy Guggenheim’s collection of drawings and prints is little known,
since until now only a few pieces have been exhibited. Now in Lucca, you can
see the 70 pieces by such artists as de Kooning, Kandinsky, Man Ray and Picasso
that she kept until her death and refused to donate to other museums. See www.luccamuseum.com for
information.
AREZZO/Vasari, Santo è bello
Until December 31, Palazzo della
Curia Vescovile, Piazza Duomo 1, Arezzo
Close out the year dedicated to Vasari with the last days of this
exhibit in Arezzo, which includes some rarely seen works, and the Christ in
the Garden from the closed convent of Camaldoli, which has never been on
public display. See www.turismo.intoscana.it (in English) for details.
BEFANA/EPIPHANY
Don’t worry if Santa Claus did not fill up the stocking you hung on
December 24; in Italy, it’s the Befana’s role to do that on the Epiphany,
January 6. She brings sweets to good kids and coal to bad ones (faux coal made
of blackened sugar is available at supermarkets should you wish to guarantee
that someone naughty is properly gifted). Activities on this national holiday
are usually kid-centred, and some begin many days before: flag throwers and
kids’ games on January 5 in piazza dell’Isolotto (starting around 5pm). On January 6, Florentines head in the early afternoon to see the parade of
Florentines historic costume, including the city’s official flag throwers and
the Three Kings on horseback as they move from Piazza Pitti to Piazza Duomo.
For a more laid-back kid activity, at the Oblate Library there is a puppet show
in Italian at 4:30pm called La Befana e la gallina Bianca. And if you’re
up to a journey beyond the city, take the Treno della Befana, the historic
steam train, from Florence to San Piero a Sieve and back (for info and
reservations, call 055/84527186).
