A day
studying abroad in Florence is an art experience all on its own without stepping inside an art museum. I mean, there are lots of museums you can visit of course. A couple that I have visited are the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze and Museo Nazzionale Alinari Della Fotografia. The Accademia is home to the famous Michelangelo sculpture “David,” among others of his works. The museum was beautiful and it should definitely be on your list of places to visit when in Florence besides Italy alone.
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| This room contained the evolution of the camera |
The second museum I visited with my photography class. It was one of the most fascinating museums I have been to because of the content and history of photography it carried. From the very beginning when photos were done on metal to present day. The exhibit I saw at the time was from the famous photojournalist Robert Capa. I was told the museum would be closed, for good. According to the website, it will be closed until April 30, 2014, which means it should be up and running again! I still have to visit the Uffizi, The modern art gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, the San Marco Gallery and many other art galleries that Florence has to offer.
I mentioned that the city itself is home to tons of art besides the pieces in museums. I was referring to the architecture of famous structures. A few of my favorites are the Cathedral di S. Maria Del Fiore and it’s Iconic Dome, Giotto’s bell tower, and of course the Ponte Vecchio. These are my favorites because I see them every day and have been the most useful way for me to familiarize my way around the main part of the city. I know I pass by many others but there are so many that I could not tell you the names of them all!
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| Cathedral di S. Maria Del Fiore |
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| The Dome. |
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| Giotto's Bell Tower |
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Another thing I notice daily in Florence is the graffiti and street art. The amount of tagging and stencil pieces on buildings, trash cans, street signs are way more than I could imagine ever being in Italy. Some people are not fans of graffiti and street art but I love it! They bring character to certain areas but I will admit it can give off negative vibes if you are not used to seeing it around. My favorite pieces are from a series I find in parts around Florence of iconic people wearing scuba goggles. Another piece I love is just a spray painted woman I see every day on my way to school on a large blue recycling bin.
Along with seeing and experiencing art in Florence, I become inspired to make my own pieces. As a photo student, being in Europe is a huge feast for my eyes. I must have taken over 2,000 photos at this point and I uploaded my favorite shots to my website. Aside photography, I also illustrate and paint. I came to Florence with some watercolor postcards in which I could paint my own pieces and send them back home to my family and friends. I just recently sent them out and cannot wait to hear back from everyone.
A Presto!
Diana Pietrzyk is the Spring 2014 CEA MOJO in Florence, Italy. She is currently a junior at Columbia College.
