DESIGN AND CRAFT. LUXURY WUNDERKAMMER IN FLORENCE.

Proud of an ancient artisan soul, Tuscany is celebrating its creation know-how, developed over the centuries, together with its future in the field of luxury craftsmanship.

“Florence is a city that cultivates the art of making and the artistic craftsmanship, a precious human heritage representing the living heart of a community that looks to the future. It offers its artists, artisans and creative professionals the opportunity to participate in a process aimed at recovering traditional values rooted in our territory” Giovanni Lamioni -President of Artex, Center for Artistic and Traditional Crafts of Tuscany- said during the presentation of “Open Florentine Manufactures” initiative. The event calendar of “Primavera dell’Artigianato” was already launched with the European Artistic Crafts Days and involved the Florentine territory until May 19. Several initiatives will be carried out to support the nomination of the City of Florence as UNESCO Creative City for Crafts.

FLORENCE NOMINATION AS UNESCO CREATIVE CITY FOR CRAFTS

A program conceived to support Florence nomination as UNESCO Creative City for Crafts. In the dossier, two goals emerged: identifying craftsmanship locations in Florence and the metropolitan area, while simultaneously launching a series of routes and itineraries for craftsmen, luxury design lovers, citizens and tourists that would include those excellency sites. Innovation and tradition also emerged during MIDA19 (mostrartigianato.it), the craft fair that took place at Fortezza Da Basso and ended May 1 with a late closure due to the record number of visitors. Here, the popular Rastriglia pavilion was dedicated to innovative proposals presented by 500 exhibitors including real “makers”.

MIDA’S “WONDER ROOMS”: 60 TERRITORY MASTERS’ CREATIONS

Innovation and tradition inspired MIDA19 (mostrartigianato.it), the craft fair that took place at Fortezza Da Basso, with a record number of visitors. Here, the popular Rastriglia pavilion was dedicated to innovative proposals presented by 500 exhibitors including real “makers”. Wunderkammer tailored Florence was organized by “Osservatorio dei Mestieri d’Arte” association and hosted 60 among the most important Florentine masters. EligoStudio arranged the exhibition and set the creations in six “chambers of wonders” inspired by Leonardo's Platonic solids. Visitors had the opportunity to see great masters’ creations like the ones of Tommaso Pestelli, heir to a prestigious jewelers’ family and author of sculptures and decor objects. The event also saw the participation of Bianco Bianchi, a proud descendant of Florentine bronzers capable of recovering a 17th century technique used for exclusive unique pieces. This journey through excellence and luxury was offered by Le Sette Meraviglie della Toscana, a side show organized by Once focused on the relationship between theory and practice in seven admirable brands and different materials: from alabaster to bronze, from ceramics to iron, up to gold.

LEONARDO DA VINCI THE EXCELLENCE OF GOLD LEAF AT “ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO” EXHIBITION

From May 16 to 19, shining gold portrayed the 25th edition of “Artigianato e Palazzo” exhibition, bringing over 100 master craftsmen to the Corsini Garden in Florence. Here, Princess Giorgiana Corsini first inaugurated the event with the intent of re-evaluating and re-framing the role of a contemporary craftsman capable of exploring the potential of design without betraying tradition. The celebrations for the 500th death anniversary of the Florentine genius inspired an exhibition entitled “Leonardo and the Battiloro”. Here, Giusto Manetti Battiloro - leader of the Manetti family who has been working with gold leaf for fifteen generations – was able to rebuild the machine designed in “Codex Atlanticus”, a masterpiece of mechanical engineering that produces embossed foils used for gold leaf coating, but also for medals and coins.