Exhibition “Architecture and Generosity”
Museo Novecento Firenze
2022
photos: ©S.Anzini
Museo Novecento Firenze
2022
photos: ©S.Anzini
“Through this exhibition we don’t only want to speak about our way of working, and our projects, we also wish to make it into an opportunity to transfer the need for a paradigm shift that puts architecture’s generosity and responsibility at the center.” AF
From April 29th to October 5th, 2022, the inner loggia of the Museo Novecento was transformed for the “Architecture and Generosity” exhibition, a project that explores the intimate world of Alfonso Femia and his Atelier(s) starting with the representation of the Whale. An imaginative and zoomorphic representation of the contents and values of the studio, this symbol, which draws inspiration from Pino Pascali’s work, summarizes the founding values of the Atelier(s). The Whale is a paradigm of how Alfonso Femia interprets architecture: an immersion in the depths of situations and places, a reflection on their history in order to formulate a design hypothesis that is both harmonious and coordinated with the contexts and with people’s expectations.
All this developed along the two arms of the loggias of the ancient Spedale delle Leopoldine, where Alfonso Femia’s “Imaginary Realism” accompanied visitors among colors, ceramic objects, drawings, words, sketches, videos, and sounds from the depths of the seas.
Care, Desire, Exploration, Generosity, Responsibility, Journey, Narrative, Thought, Territory and Continuity are the keywords of Alfonso Femia’s philosophy represented in the silhouettes of celestial creatures along the stained glass windows that perimeter the loggia. Designed by Gigi Pescolderlung for the book written by Alfonso Femia with Paul Ardenne entitled “The Good City. For Responsible Architecture,” they accompany the exhibition path and symbolize the decalogue of intentions that the Atelier(s) adopt as good design practice, to build a harmonious (still utopian) relationship between man and city.
Inside the exhibition, about 30 works, including ceramic models, as well as the “Mediterranean Bestiary”, conceived by Alfonso Femia in 2011 on the occasion of the OGR project in Turin, and made by master ceramist Danilo Trogu, who has always taken part in this journey.
Precious “Inside The Whale” moments were exhibited: the people who “make” the studio, the architects, the engineers, the communicators, the administrators; hands in their extraordinary mute expressiveness; and the cities of the three Atelier(s) – Genoa, Paris, Milan. Above all, the Whale and its star, guides and traveling companions.
Alfonso Femia’s Table is configured, therefore, as a bridge between design, architectural, artistic, compositional and technological dimensions, between the past and the present, a paradigm of an intimate and particular dialogue with each place, city and territory. Thoughts coming from the deepest depths of the sea capable of surfacing and creating a fruitful dialogue with the different Times of humanity.
• PROJECT VIDEO:
> Trailer “Alfonso Femia. Architecture and Generosity”
All this developed along the two arms of the loggias of the ancient Spedale delle Leopoldine, where Alfonso Femia’s “Imaginary Realism” accompanied visitors among colors, ceramic objects, drawings, words, sketches, videos, and sounds from the depths of the seas.
Care, Desire, Exploration, Generosity, Responsibility, Journey, Narrative, Thought, Territory and Continuity are the keywords of Alfonso Femia’s philosophy represented in the silhouettes of celestial creatures along the stained glass windows that perimeter the loggia. Designed by Gigi Pescolderlung for the book written by Alfonso Femia with Paul Ardenne entitled “The Good City. For Responsible Architecture,” they accompany the exhibition path and symbolize the decalogue of intentions that the Atelier(s) adopt as good design practice, to build a harmonious (still utopian) relationship between man and city.
Inside the exhibition, about 30 works, including ceramic models, as well as the “Mediterranean Bestiary”, conceived by Alfonso Femia in 2011 on the occasion of the OGR project in Turin, and made by master ceramist Danilo Trogu, who has always taken part in this journey.
Precious “Inside The Whale” moments were exhibited: the people who “make” the studio, the architects, the engineers, the communicators, the administrators; hands in their extraordinary mute expressiveness; and the cities of the three Atelier(s) – Genoa, Paris, Milan. Above all, the Whale and its star, guides and traveling companions.
Alfonso Femia’s Table is configured, therefore, as a bridge between design, architectural, artistic, compositional and technological dimensions, between the past and the present, a paradigm of an intimate and particular dialogue with each place, city and territory. Thoughts coming from the deepest depths of the sea capable of surfacing and creating a fruitful dialogue with the different Times of humanity.
• PROJECT VIDEO:
> Trailer “Alfonso Femia. Architecture and Generosity”