By Rebecca Ceccatelli and Giulia Piceni. Cover image: Helen Frankenthaler, Mountains and Sea, 1952, oil and charcoal on unsized, unprimed canvas, 219.4 x 297.8 cm (National Gallery of Art, Washington). Photo: Steven Zucker.
Navigating the maze of exhibitions can be overwhelming. It’s easy to forget about that vernissage you saw on Instagram, misplace a flyer from an opening, or feel daunted by the prospect of browsing multiple websites to plan your weekend gallery visits. But fret not! Here’s a carefully curated guide to the must-see exhibitions in Florence for autumn 2024, making it easy to fill your afternoons with inspiring art.
The Best Art Exhibitions in Florence For Autumn 2024
Helen Frankenthaler at Palazzo Strozzi: A Revolutionary in Abstract Art
Breaking away from the traditional rules of painting that dominated her time, Helen Frankenthaler emerged as a pivotal figure in 20th-century art. Her abstract style reimagines colour and space, infusing them with a poetic sensibility where technique meets improvisation, creating a new sense of pictorial freedom.
The art exhibition, featuring works mostly on loan from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, as well as from major museums and private collectors, highlights Frankenthaler’s groundbreaking role as a Color Field artist. Her pieces are featured alongside masterpieces by her Abstract Expressionist contemporaries, including Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, sparking a dynamic conversation between these monumental artists.
Curated by Douglas Dreishpoon, Director of the Helen Frankenthaler Catalogue Raisonné, and co-organised by Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, this exhibition is the largest ever dedicated to Frankenthaler in Italy. With over 60 works on display, it provides a rare opportunity to witness firsthand the spontaneous brushstrokes and revolutionary spirit that transformed an era of art.
Helen Frankenthaler. Dipingere senza regole at Palazzo Strozzi, Florence. From September 27, 2024, until January 26, 2025
Yōkai: Monsters, Spirits, and Mysteries at Museo degli Innocenti
Opening the space with a suggestive candle-lit room mimicking a macabre samurai ritual, the exhibition organised and produced by Vertigo Syndrome brings the representation of evil Japanese spirits (Yōkai) to Florence. The exhibition features over 150 artworks from the 18th and 19th centuries, including prints, rare books, masks, and weapons. It also incorporates a series of sounds and light effects that make the experience engaging and educational for all ages. The term Yōkai itself is composed of two words that could be translated as fascination and mystery, which are the two feelings that the exhibiting space aims to evoke.
Yokoai, mostri, spiriti e altre inquietudini nelle stampe giapponesi at Museo degli Innocenti, Florence. From June 13 to November 3, 2024
Solstice at Rifugio Digitale: Claudine Doury’s Photographic Journey
Solstice is a photography exhibition by Claudine Doury, marking the final chapter of the Homecoming series, curated by Irene Alison and Paolo Cagnacci. The exhibition, running from 2023 to 2024, explored the concept of identity in relation to place, investigating the idea of “home” as a return to one’s roots. In Solstice, Doury’s images reveal both ancient rituals and modern concerns, delving into humanity’s connection to nature, the interplay of memory and the present, and the transformative power of femininity. For over a decade, Doury has been travelling every year to document solstice rituals across Eastern Europe, including Russia, Belarus, and the Baltics. These celebrations, rooted in pagan traditions, honour nature and the sun, evoking an ethereal world where light and mystery prevail, hinting at new beginnings.
Solstice at Rifugio Digitale, Florence. From September 25 to October 12, 2024
Sentiero del Teatro accanto alla Follia at MAD: Art and Mental Health Activism
The exhibition explores the collaboration between Franco Basaglia and Giuliano Scabia, which began in 1971 with the theatre workshop Fourteen Actions for Fourteen Days. Their artistic project at the Psychiatric Hospital of Trieste, symbolised by the creation of Marco Cavallo, paved the way for the Basaglia Law, transforming mental health care.
Curator notes highlight Scabia’s work in Sentiero del Teatro accanto alla follia, documented in the Quaderni del Teatro Vagante. The exhibition, commemorating the closure of asylums, displays drawings, sculptures, photographs, and footage from Laboratorio P, a disused ward of the psychiatric hospital of Trieste, directed by Franco Basaglia. Side events include performances and discussions centred on mental illness and artistic activism.
Sentiero del Teatro accanto alla Follia at MAD, Florence. Until September 29, 2024
The Garden’s Heart at Palazzo Olivetti Rason: A Living Artistic Experience
Prepare to discover the enchanting world of a garden. This art exhibition, inspired by the song “The Garden’s Heart” by Natasha Khan and Jon Hopkins, captures the essence of a “Secret Garden,” reminiscent of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1910 novel. It blends natural and artificial wonders, with artists showcasing both their creations and personal curiosities, transforming the intimate setting into a dynamic, ever-changing space. Visitors will witness an ongoing installation process, creating a unique and evolving experience throughout the exhibition. The event will feature works by contemporary artists such as Marco Belfiore, Michele Chiossi, and Claudia Di Francesco, alongside masterpieces by Albrecht Dürer, Giorgio Morandi, and Giuseppe Viviani. In collaboration with The Contemporary Art Travellers, the exhibition invites visitors to explore a historic Florentine palace and its garden, where the changing colours of late summer set the scene for a unique artistic experience.
The Garden’s Heart at Palazzo Olivetti Rason, Florence. From September 27 to October 6, 2024
LOUIS FRATINO: Satura at Centro Pecci, Prato
Just a short distance from Florence is Centro Pecci, a must-see destination. Satura is part of the annual programme “La Toscana al Centro” at Centro Pecci, featuring a special focus on artists who have had a connection with the Tuscan region throughout their careers. The exhibition showcases a comprehensive collection of Fratino’s work (awarded at the recent Biennale of Venice), including sculptures, over 30 paintings, and more than 20 graphic works. The term ‘satura’ comes from the Latin’ Satura Lanx,’ which refers to a platter filled with various offerings for the Gods, and it also relates to a literary genre characterised by a variety of styles.
In this context, Satura denotes both literal and metaphorical ‘fullness’, reflecting the rich colours, opulence material, and diverse media explored in Fratino’s art throughout his relationship with Italy. This is evident in his references to 20th-century artists, such as Filippo De Pisis, Mario Mafai and Costantino Nivola, but also in the landscapes he depicts, which look like the environments of Rome, Milan and Genoa.
LOUIS FRATINO: Satura at Centro Pecci, Prato. From September 26, 2024, until February 2, 2025
