Unexpected Art Encounters

I'm sure it's not news to anyone reading this that Florence is a city of art. It is everywhere, from the statue gallery in Piazza Signoria to the fake David at Piazzale Michelangelo to the golden doors of Ghiberti on the Baptistry. Then there is the architectural art, like Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio.

But what I sometimes forget is that there is so much more than just these icons of Florence to been seen and enjoyed. On a recent morning walk up to Pza. Michelangelo I decided to take the long way down, winding through the leafy green of Via Machiavelli toward Porta Romana where I lived when I first came here almost 2 years ago.

In the course of this walk I enjoyed two unexpected art encounters. The first was in a small green park at one of the bends in the road and the second was along the road leading up to an old art school. It was fun to see them both because they were unexpected and uniquely contemporary. In no way do I want to diminish the beauty of the Renaissance art that abounds here but every now and then it is nice to feast the eyes on something modern and different.



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