Otto luogo dell’arte is happy to invite you to a celebratory drink before the start of the summer holiday in order to inaugurate the opening of our new space in Palazzo Rucellai with the exhibition “La Corte” on Wednesday June 12th at 6 PM.
The exhibition is a re-interpretation of Leon Battista Alberti’s historic renaissance courtyard. Our contemporary vision displays works by a selection of artists who were given the task to revisit the objects that have historically adorned the inner courtyards of renaissance palaces: benches, mirrors, sculptures, light fixtures, tapestries and more.
The courtyard, a private yet outdoor area, is a versatile space: an external room, an artificial “outdoors” that has historically represented the cultural meeting place for artists, musicians, poets, thinkers and art lovers of its time. It is in this light that we would like to view, live and re-read our courtyard.

Curators: Olivia Toscani Rucellai e Mauro Lovi
Press Communications and Operations Coordinator: Anna K. Gargarian
Artists: Studio Barberini e Gunnell, Marina Calamai, Simone Caldognetto, Chiara Lera, Mikayel Ohanjanyan, Fabio Sciortino, Giuliano Toma.
Designer Rug Collection “Otto with Boralevi’ : Elisabetta Nencini, Livio Tessandori, Mauro Lovi

Installation in Otto’s display window:
Otto’s display window in Via de’ Palchetti, also at Palazzo Rucellai, is a small exhibition space at street level. On view is the installation “Dolce Seno”, a project curated by Aldo Frangioni that features a large photograph by Virginia Panichi. The photograph portrays the image of a young model (Giulia Mangino) whose white drapery reveals an uncovered breast, and before her in the foreground lie an assortment of breast-shaped cakes. Panichi’s image is fully “constructed”, from her subject’s make-up to the scenography. Above the model’s head hovers a shell and egg, a clear reference to Piero della Francesca’s Pala di Brera. The artist will also put on display 8 breast-pastries (the same featured in the photograph) in the courtyard of Palazzo Rucellai. Panichi studied painting at Florence’s Accademia di Belle Arti and later continued her art education at Milan’s Italian Institute of Photography. She has exhibited in numerous important European galleries and has a current exhibition in Gunuw (Berlin) at Abaco Space. Virginia Panichi’s photograph (cm 80 x 60) will be framed by a renaissance-inspired silver leaf frame designed and hand-made by renowned Florentine artisan, Franco Ristori. The lighting is by the young and talented Lighting Designer, Jacopo Pantani, whom has collaborated with major European theaters like Opéra Bastille (Paris), Teatro massimo (Palermo) and San Carlo (Naples).

Curator: Aldo Frangioni
Artist: Virginia Panichi
Framing: Franco Ristori
Lighting: Jacopo Pantani