When I was in Florence recently I wandered absent mindedly into the Vicolo dell’Oro, not far from the Ponte Vecchio.
I looked up to see these creatures scaling the walls.
There was a sign describing the art installation on the window of the Farmacia Ponte Vecchio…
It was commissioned by the Gallery Art Hotel and created by artist and architect Simone D’Auria as a tribute to the city of Florence in beautifying this tiny and precious square.
The work of art represents an imaginary world populated by white creatures with a human body and the head of an animal.
18 creatures with almost identical bodies, but with different animal heads, animate the Vicolo dell’Oro, climbing the facade of the Gallery Art Hotel, hovering in the air like trapeze artists between the Lungarno Collection hotel, stopping as curious spectators in front of the Leica store.
The rhino represents Alessandro de Medici, to symbolise his strength and strong will.
The goal is to send a positive message, an invitation to continue to move forward whatever the challenge may be, to climb up, to be innovative and overcome one’s limits.
I’m not sure whether it is a permanent installation or a temporary exhibition. I will drop by when I return to Florence to see.