The Koons may have left the city, but contemporary art will continue to appear in Florence throughout 2016.
From April 15 to October 2, Jan Fabre will exhibit in piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and at Forte Belvedere. The famous Belgian artist’s bronze sculptures will be accompanied by wax figures, beetle shell-based compositions, installations and films of his street performances.
In September, Florence’s piazzas will welcome works by Louise Bourgeois, the French-American artist who died in 2010. Also in the fall, Austrian Erwin Wurm’s one-minute sculptures and visionary architecture will come to the Museo del Novecento and Le Murate Progetti Arte Contemporanea gallery.
Also scheduled for 2016 is the Contrappunti exhibition series at the Oltrarno’s Stefano Bardini Museum. First up in the series are works by New York-based John Currin, a painter known for his charmingly provocative satire focused on society and sexuality. At a recent press conference at the Palazzo Vecchio, mayor Dario Nardella announced, ‘Florence has always been great because it’s always been contemporary. For that reason, our administration is focusing on the contemporary, the true ethos of our city.’