Over two hundred works, including paintings, drawings and etchings, of which many little or never seen. Livorno, on the occasion of the bicentenary of his birth, is preparing to celebrate Giovanni Fattori with a great exhibition, aimed at rediscovering the entire artistic path of the famous painter. “Giovanni Fattori. A revolution in painting” the title of the exhibition, hosted from 6 September to 11 January in the restored museum of Villa Mimbelli and curated by Vincenzo Farinella.
The exhibition, promoted and organized by the Municipality of Livorno in collaboration with the Matteucci Institute of Viareggio, with the patronage and contribution of the Tuscany Region and the contribution of the Piacenza Foundation, is part of “W Fattori”, the vast cultural promotion project dedicated to the artist and the city that provides for a series of initiatives aimed at various public bands and whose first step, in fact, will be the reopening of the factor museum Villa Mimbelli and its park in an even more inclusive and attractive cultural center (the opening of a refreshment center and the functional restoration of the small historic theater is expected, in addition to the enhancement of other spaces such as Granai, Bookshop, Art Library and Ludoteca).
“Livorno, with this exhibition, pays homage to one of his most extraordinary artists – said the mayor Luca Salvetti -. This event is part of a path started in 2019 with the exhibition dedicated to Modigliani and then continued with the initiatives related to Mascagni, Caproni, Ciampi and numerous characters from the sports world. Fattori was an artist of a dimension not only national, but internationally. The birth of this idea dates back to a few years ago The opportunity to redevelop the entire civic museum pole dedicated to Giovanni Fattori, on the lines of what was made before at the Museum of the city on the occasion of the Modigliani exhibition “.
“This project – said the councilor for culture Angela Rafanelli – is a way to celebrate not only a great master of painting, but also the ideals of this extraordinary artist and the most authentic soul of Livorno. Fattori has had a great link with the Livorno, who have always supported him in times of difficulty. With the ‘W Fattori’ project and the reopening of the museum after the restoration, celebration, but a new beginning for the continuous enhancement of our cultural identity “.
“Fattori, despite having lived for a long time in Florence, had a visceral passion for Livorno and the Livorno people, as he himself loved to call him – commented the curator of the exhibition Vincenzo Farinella -. This exhibition will not only be a tribute, but a rethinking of the artist, as can already be seen from the title: we want to highlight how factors was a revolutionary artist, ideologically linked to ’48. Double revolutionary: it was in fact both in the heroic years of the “stain” and the Castiglioncello school, when he was one of the major protagonists of the radical renewal of Italian art that takes place in the seventh decade of the nineteenth century, both in the years of maturity and old age, when the breakdown of the academic rules and the prospective space, appreciable in many of his paintings and in the memorable etchings, proposes it as a decisive master for young people for young people for young people Artists overlooking the twentieth century “.
“In the exhibition – stressed Farinella – we decided first of all to enhance the collections of our museum, then asking for works to private collectors and public museums in order to reconstruct the artistic path of factors step by step. We have focused on a chronological, rather than thematic system”.
The places of factors
The places of factors will involve squares, roads, historic buildings and views dear to the artist from Livorno: an immersive proposal between art and territory. It will be possible to discover or rediscover places lived over the years, such as the artist’s birthplace, the Cathedral, the San Marco theater, but also evocative spaces such as the statue of factors off Cisternino, up to the landscapes immortalized in its paintings, such as the Tamerice d’Antignano or Bagni Palmieri. The initiative, created by the Agave Cooperative in collaboration with a network of partners including the Labronic Group, does not just tell the artist’s biography, but offers a wider vision of society, characters, places and the historical context that have influenced factors. A multidisciplinary approach that combines culture and tourism, creating new narrative ideas.
The key places of the route will be reported by interactive plates and with QR Code, through which it will be possible to access a dedicated site with textual and audio content, for an engaging and authentic experience. The project also includes a guided tours program designed for all ages.
