From political art in a 16th-century palace to summer sculpture at a former Renaissance fort, there is a multitude of Florence contemporary art galleries to discover.
Florence is a cultural capital of art and architecture. It offers a vast number of museums to explore. With a mix of classic and contemporary collections housed in some of the city’s grandest buildings. The city is known for its abundance of artistic treasures, many of which hang within the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia. However, the Tuscan capital has a contemporary scene that has rocketed in recent years. Here are nine must-do gallery spaces to experience the best Florence contemporary art galleries and the city’s burgeoning art scene.
Clet Abraham
Famed around Florence for his guerrilla-style art tactics, Frenchman Abraham has called Italy home for 20 years. His art, synonymous with re-working street signs into works of art, is characterised by a playful and humorous tone. He uses removable stickers to update their designs. A ‘Do Not Enter’ covers a naked David statue’s modesty; a ‘This Way’ arrow turns into a white peace dove. In his San Niccolò studio, you’ll often find him working on his next piece. Meanwhile, on shelves, stickers, postcards, and T-shirts are on sale.
Studio Abba
A contemporary gallery housed in a Renaissance palace with eighteenth-century frescoed ceilings, Studio Abba organises collective and solo shows in its home city of Florence in a gallery space that once played house to the embassy of the United States. The Studio also exhibits a permanent collection of paintings and drawings by 20th-century Hungarian artist Karl Stengel. Located on the first floor of Palazzo Rosselli del Turco, an elegant 16th-century pile in hip Oltrarno. Here, curator Vito Abba finds unique and prestigious locations to showcase work in other major cities. These include Paris, London, Monaco, Tokyo, Venice, and Miami.
Strozzina at Palazzo Strozzi
Hidden in the basement of one of the finest Renaissance palaces in Florence, Strozzina showcases multi-media installations and exhibitions that often support the main show upstairs in the main palace halls. The Centre for Contemporary Culture Strozzina (CCCS) was launched in 2007 and since has showcased diverse work. From Chinese artists Liu Xiaodong and Ai Wei Wei to a recent collection of video art, VISIO. Moving Images After Post-Internet, featuring 12 international creatives, all under 35. Strozzina also organises lectures, workshops, screenings and artist talks throughout the year.
Villa Bardini
With its dusty pink facade, Villa Bardini overlooks the city with sweeping views down the Arno River from its southern heights in central Florence. Within its walls is a modern museum space and cultural and exhibition centre that showcases works of Italian and international artists with temporary exhibitions, too. The Pietro Annigoni Museum is a permanent collection of drawings, designs, and paintings by the Milanese artist who later called Florence home. Celebrated for abiding by strict realism principles and using ancient Renaissance painting techniques when abstract art was at its most popular, Annigoni’s portraits of royalty, presidents and Popes earned him the name, ‘Painter of Queens’.
Forte di Belvedere
Positioned on the highest peak of Florence, Forte di Belvedere was built in the late 16th century as a Renaissance military base. Today, it hosts summer exhibitions of contemporary sculpture jotted around the complex grounds. Past exhibitions have included British-born Antony Gormley, Belgian Jan Fabre, and avant-garde Italian artist Eliseo Mattiacci. In 2019, the animal art of Bologna-based Davide Rivalta was seen overlooking the Florence skyline. Concession-priced tickets are offered to those who have visited Museo Novecento (see below), making visiting this fort even more enticing.
Casamonti Collection
Florentine art collector Roberto Casamonti opened his exhibition space in 2018 within the usually private Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni. Having built an extensive art collection of over 5000 works since launching Tornabuoni Arte in the early 1980s. Today, the Casamonti Collection rotates pieces. Its first show hung 250 artworks from the early 20th century (1900s to the 1960s), With works by Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky and Andy Warhol on show. Its current exhibition features acquisitions from the 1960s to the 21st century. Including Joan Mirò, Gilbert & George, and Marina Abramović, displayed across six rooms.
Aria Art Gallery
Tucked down a small cobbled street a block from the Ponte Vecchio, curator Antonio Budetta promotes new artists and ideas with his temporary shows. All within a shed-like structure with a hidden botanical garden circa 1534. With exhibitions by artists from America, China, and the Middle East, Aria’s offerings often mix the classic with the contemporary. A current show, Timelessness, boasts 16th and 17th-century masters exhibited alongside contemporary pieces to challenge the ‘descriptions imposed by the History of Art… and enriches ancient and counterparty masterpieces with new meaning.’
Gallery of Modern Art at Palazzo Pitti
Once home to Italian royalty, Palazzo Pitti houses five museums today, making it the largest exhibition complex in Florence. While many spaces display classical art, The Gallery of Modern Art showcases pieces from the late 18th to 20th century. Focusing on the neoclassical up to the purist period, it is displayed in rooms still in their original and opulent 18th-century interior glory. Worth seeking out: a collection of canvases by the Macchiaioli School. A group of Italian painters who pushed against the traditional techniques taught in Florence to create their own Impressionist style that was radical in its day.
Museo Novecento
Since opening in 2014, Novecento has focused on showcasing 20th and 21st-century work by Italian artists with a permanent display of paintings, sculptures and installations. Housed in a 13th-century in parts old hospital, it has been revamped to modern-day standards. Overlooking the bustling piazza of Santa Maria Novella, the gallery hosts regular temporary shows. Plus, a calendar of events, including film screenings and music concerts with a contemporary tilt. In summer, ticket holders can access Forte di Belvedere for a reduced fee.
