In late March of this year the Art department at my sixth form took a 6 day trip to Firenze(Florence), Italy where we were for the most part going to tour the iconic Roman architecture and Renaissance art in what was arguably the cultural epicentre of the "Rebirth" movement during the 14th to 17th centuries.
This was for myself a thrilling prospect as I would be able to view first hand the works of artists such as Michelangelo and Da Vinci while also residing in what many would claim to be the most beautiful city in Europe.
- Ponte vecchio, market bridge.
However this was all for the tourists, Florence in fact isn't just an artisan time-capsule nor a still painting but rather a modern social hub, with a thriving business sector, grid-locked traffic and street crime. In the past I've spent far too many foreign trips as a tourist and so on this occasion I was determined to see Florence at its most raw, which may occasionally involve stepping off our classes set itinerary for the week.
- view of Florence from atop the hill at the Piazzale Michelangelo.
Because i'd spent the majority of my artistic study for this academic year focusing on 'Graffiti' or 'street-art' I was already well aware of its prominence in cities across the world as well as some this movements infamous artists - 'Bansky' perhaps being the most prolific; However when arriving in Florence I immediately pondered the words of French street-artist 'JR' whom after completing a series of large photographic murals in Paris, recalls in an interview "the city was my canvas." I must say that when passing the huge white marble statues outside the Palazzo Vecchio or walking within the grey-walled and modestly furnished interior of the Museo Accademica, it's not difficult to understand why Artists such as JR would want to add a little colour.
- 'David' bronze replica statue in the Pizzale Michelangelo square near the top of the Monte Alle Croci.
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