Why I applied for the Arts Curating course

21/07/2023

By Giulia Piceni. Cover image: Visit at Gianfranco Ferré’s archival material at WP Archivio, Bologna.

I have always been passionate about arts curating, fashion and journalism.
Since I started questioning my future more maturely (leaving behind all the imaginative dreams that distinguish childish working aspirations), I have always wanted to go to Istituto Marangoni. And please, don’t take it as a euphemism or a way to impress the teachers; ask my parents how much time I spent stressing them with my “why I should go to fashion school” presentations. At some point, exhausted by my perseverance and with no arguments left, they finally gave in and let me enrol in the Arts Curating course.
And that’s something I will always be grateful for.
Since I’ve always been passionate about fashion and the arts, the Arts Curating Undergraduate course looked like the perfect mix of all my interests in terms of subjects, venue and journalism.
But let me explain this exciting triad.

Between art criticism and management

I have always had a passion for fashion and the arts, so the Arts Curating Undergraduate course looked like the perfect mix of my interests and my love of writing. Over the years, the students explore subjects from Fashion History to Art Management, Photography and Iconography, from Curatorial Studies to Organization of Complex Events.
In my personal experience, I was initially scared there would be very little Fashion in my academic path. However, I was later surprised to see how often those two disciplines blurred together, especially during the first year.
In my experience, I wanted to enrol in the Arts Curating course primarily for the subjects covered in the second year, focused on writing, criticism and publishing.

Publishing projects of the second year of Arts Curating.

The Florence School

For a person interested in fashion, the most obvious choice would probably be Milan, the heart of Fashion Week; in this sense, the alternative of Florence happened to me by accident (since the Arts Curating course is only there) but turned out to be the wisest choice for my education.

Top: Maison Valentino Archive in Rome. Courtesy of Valentino. Above: Footage of a visit to the Maison Valentino Archive in Rome.

Made in Italy originated in the Tuscan capital thanks to the bright mind of Gian Battista Giorgini; after the Second World War, he resurged the fashion industry by establishing an ancestor of the Fashion Week at Palazzo Pitti; alta sartoria (haute couture) shows would be held there, in the iconic Sala Bianca.

Exhibition views from *Reaching for the Stars: from Maurizio Cattelan to Lynette Yiadom-Boakye*; *Nel Tuo Tempo: Olafur Eliasson; Let’s Get Digital!* at Palazzo Strozzi, Florence. Courtesy of Palazzo Strozzi. Photo: Ela Bialkowska, OKNO Studio.

Besides this fashion history fact, Florence brims with galleries and museums showcasing eternally fascinating artworks from the past and modern times. The city appears as a bridge between epochs and disciplines, and its people-oriented way of living makes it a highly agreeable place to reside during one’s studies.

*Dis-cycling: the seductive allure of creativity in sustainability*, project realized by Istituto Marangoni Firenze in collaboration with FENDI, artist Sarah Coleman and Pardgroup. Photos: Virginia Niccolucci.

Based in a unique city, the academic environment at Istituto Marangoni Firenze is undoubtedly up to it. No day passes without a teacher, a receptionist or another staff member not greeting you by your name: due to the small circle, everyone knows everybody, creating solid bonds between mentors and students.

The small number of students in Florence compared to other Istituto Marangoni schools provides the perfect environment for personalised and guided learning, allowing for one-to-one feedback and a highly tailored educational experience.

My path to journalism

Although not exclusive to the Arts Curating course, I can’t help mentioning the opportunity provided by the school magazine, I’M Firenze Digest, which successfully incorporates the course’s key elements, namely Arts, Fashion and Technology.

Past, Present and Future Continuous, Istituto Marangoni Art Show 2021 at Manifattura Tabacchi, Florence.

Everybody has a lifelong dream, and mine is certainly to become a fashion journalist; when I discovered that Istituto Marangoni Firenze had a school journal run by the students with the help of tutors, I immediately thought this would be an excellent opportunity to improve my writing skills and gain experience in a proper editorial board.

As an editor and contibutor of I’M Firenze Digest, I attended the FENDI Fashion Show during the Milan Menswear Fall / Winter 2023 – 2024 Milan, Italy. Here as some of the guests, among them Luca Guadagnino and Caleb McLaughlin (Photo by Jacopo M. Raule/Getty Images for Fendi). Courtesy: FENDI.

I officially became a member of the Journal Staff one year and a half ago. It has been an incredible way to grow in responsibility and other technical aspects. Being part of this project has made me more aware of journalistic dynamics, such as the timing for article uploads and image selection.
If you ever consider joining this project, keep in mind these positive side effects: you’ll get to know many people, and your essay grades will skyrocket after writing regularly.