By Camila Ibarra Gallego
On a sunny day in Firenze it’s hard to miss the bright, bronze sculptures sitting in Piazza della Signoria. But what might be even more shocking is how modern they look contrasted to the sculptures from centuries ago. Pieces from Jan Fabre’s exhibition can be found all over Florence. Find out why they’re here.
Many of you have probably been wondering what the heck a giant sea turtle is doing in the middle of Piazza della Signoria. That’s exactly what passed through my mind the morning I took my usual route to class and saw this big, shiny sculpture I had never seen before. So I decided to do some research to find out what this whole thing was about and share it with everyone who may be as flabbergasted as I was.
Jan Fabre (born in 1958) is a Belgian artist, playwright, stage director, choreographer, and designer. He is having an art exhibition here in Florence called Spiritual Guards. The exhibition is sponsored by the City of Florence, and it is be located between Forte Belvedere, Palazzo Vecchio, and Piazza della Signoria. It is said to be one of the most complex and complicated exhibitions in public spaces created by Jan Fabre. The exhibition will also host hundreds of works done by Fabre between 1978 to 2016 such as bronze sculptures, like the man riding the turtle, installations of beetle shells, wax sculptures, and documentary films of his performances.
The sculpture standing in the middle of the piazza is called Searching for Utopia. On top of the turtle sits a man holding on to reins. This man is the representation of the equestrian statue that was given to Grand Duke Cosimo I, a member of the Medici family and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, which was created by Giambologna.
As I stood there looking at the big turtle, I thought about how the artist paid attention to every detail on the turtle’s shell and on the man riding it. This sculpture is a cross between classical art and contemporary art.
I watched as people gathered around and took selfies with their selfie sticks. Many who just arrived in the city probably don’t realize that this statue has not been there for a while, and think that it is a piece of art that is part of the piazza. I see how they just stand in awe and admire the shiny gold piece of bronze, which looks a lot like Crush, the turtle from Finding Nemo. Children run around the installation and inspect it from every angle, probably wishing they could slide down the turtle’s shell or act as the captain of the ship.
Now every time you walk pass by this shiny, big sculpture and find a person who is just as confused as you were, you will be able to explain to some extent what it is about. If you are interested, Palazzo Vecchio is hosting a series of sculptures interacting with the frescoes and artifacts housed in some rooms to the public. Then check out the entire Fabre exhibition at Fort Belvedere. Fabre will be displayed in Florence until Oct 2. Spiritual Guards is a great art exhibition for those who love imagination and beauty.
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