Considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Florence is the perfect place to marvel at the wonders of Michelangelo and Donatello. Yet, what happens after you have seen the David, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore or walk through the Uffizi Gallery? Well, the +39 does not stop there. Although there are more and more renaissance masterpieces waiting to be noticed, another, more modern form of craft is just around the corner.
“L’arte sa nuotare” or “Art Knows How To Swim” is a series of paintings pasted onto gas boxes throughout Florence. Blub, the artist behind these playful paintings has remained unidentified to the public eye, but has become a symbol to the City's modern art age. Each piece is an underwater version of iconic paintings and people. You can find anything from Michelangelo’s "David" to Santa Claus, even Amy Winehouse and the Mona Lisa have made special appearances in gas boxes.
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| From Top Left To Bottom Right: Lady With An Ermine, Michelangelo's "David", Gallileo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Infamous Street Artist "Clet", Lovers of Magritte, and Mona Lisa. |
Blub uses gas boxes and not the buildings themselves as a way to help increase Florence’s beauty, while not ruining the architecture. The unkown artist also was quoted saying that he or she puts the figures underwater to symbloze life's challenges and that art can swim past any obstacles in its way. When asked how they thought of this idea, he/she simply said,
"This idea just came to my mind while I was doing other things, like having a good time in front of the sea in Spain, on holiday. Than paint a real metal box in front of the house I was guest, and than when come back to Florence just continue in this street of my city." -Blub
Since Florence, Blub's new age Renaissance art has spread throughout London and Barcelona, featuring people such as: Jesus, Shakespeare and Pablo Picasso.
Finding these creative pieces will only help increase ones awareness of Florence, making anyone truly appreciate the city’s artistry and grandeur. Unfortunetly, some of Blub’s work has been damaged or destroyed by ruthless behavior, however, The Person Underwater did make an instagram, @lartesanuotare, to show the newest pieces and reminisce on the old ones. Keep your eyes pealed when swimming in the streets of the Florence, one might just be around the corner.
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| Blub's version of French painter, Gustavo Courbet |
Patrick Casey is the Fall 2016 CEA MOJO in Florence, Italy. He is currently a junior studying Communications at Sacramento State University.