Today we left Florence but ensured we caught this formidable exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi- Utopie Radicali, Oltre L’Architettura Firenze 1966-1976- commemorating and showcasing the impact of radical Italian architecture movements of the sixties and seventies.
Inspired by the Fluxus, Arte Povera, and French Situationalist movements of the time, the exhibition showcased artworks, photography, experimental video, with architectural plans and models, urban planning even fantastical ultra mod furniture designs and examples.
With works by such groups and figures as 9999, Archizoom, Remo Buti, Giannini Pattena, Superstudio, Ufo and Zzigurat, my curatorial brain was soaking it all in, imagining and formulating exhibition concepts, treatments and layouts.
Though these works were happening over 40 years ago, their ethos is as fresh as the alt-modernity of current experimental art happenings- even I am proud to say by some of our Darwin artists. The absolute highlight however, was that this was being exhibited inside the Palazzo Strozzi a c15th palatial building, you can see for example the gothic pointed arches of the gallery’s ceilings, punctuating and crowning the white cube walls!
Locating this exhibition in a late medieval building emphasised to me the importance of protecting and connecting with our heritage. This contextualises modernity, even our post-modern today within the tangible material forms of architectural history.
