Italian & European Craftsmanship at ‘Artigianato e Palazzo’
Friday 16 – Sunday 18: ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO CRAFTS FAIR. Corsini Palace and Garden, via della Scala 115. Open 10 am – 7:30 pm. Admission: €8, € 6 reduced, and free admission for children under 12. Free catalogue included.
The Artigianato e Palazzo Fair will reflect the journey of artisan culture from craftsmen to art designers, showcasing traditional and contemporary works. Guests will have the opportunity to walk through an itinerary that comprises the Limonaia of the Renaissance garden and other locations in the Corsini Palace to visit stands and see the exhibitions and installations, in addition to attending workshops and events.
Meetings, Exhibitions & Debates
In its 28th edition, the fair features over 90 master craftsmen, displaying and selling their creations, including jewelry, hand-painted porcelain, bags, and hand-made shoes, while revealing the secrets of their trade through live demonstrations. Dedicated to Tuscan excellence, the new Artex exhibition on crystal, glass and alabaster is open to visitors along with a carpentry workshop by the Community of San Patrignano in a new set-up curated by Cosimo Bonciani. Expect to meet artisans weaving baskets, making hats, displaying book art, textiles and fashion.
The main exhibition is entitled “TANNERS: Heirs of a Major Art,” which is dedicated to the Genuine Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium. Visitors can appreciate the nature of leather processing using the vegetable tanning technique, an ancient method that uses only wood extracts.
Artigianato e Palazzo can be accessed from the Palazzo (via Il Prato, 58) and the usual entrance from the Garden (via della Scala, 115).Giardinetto delle Rose will host meetings and debates, including a presentation of a study conducted as part of the “Kindness and Sustainability” project, and discussions between Annamaria Tossani and her guests during the “Family Recipes” event (see below). The “Kindness and Sustainability” project is designed to create a conducive environment stimulate people to live according to the principles of a circular economy.
Free outdoor workshops will offer insight into a number of artisanal techniques for all ages.
Blogs & Crafts Europe
The competition BLOGS & CRAFTS is aimed at under-35 craftsmen and influencers who reside in Europe to bring fundamental contribution to the artisan sector by showcasing their visions and works.
A number of local and foreign young artisans will participate in the competition including Christian Muscat from Malta, who specializes in traditional techniques of weaving, macrame, and rope-making. He produces fabrics for furniture, clothing, and jewelry with eco-friendly yarns and products. Hugh Byrne from Ireland is another contestant who handcrafts knives with traditional and contemporary techniques using natural woods or found materials. Growing up in Venice, Sofia helped her family in their papier-mâché mask workshop and she still carries on this endangered tradition. In her work, she creates traditional Venetian papier-mâché with recycled paper.
Young artisans will be subjected to the judgment of the public and the winner will receive the Perseus Prize. The Florence Chamber of Commerce also offers the participants a conference on “How to Become Your Own Entrepreneur.”
Family Recipes
The event combines contemporary food culture with traditional flavors through book presentations, live cooking shows, and tastings. During the event, the participants will be served dishes made by teachers from Florence’s Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in the Casta kitchen and served on Fornasetti hand-decorated porcelain plates. (Elif Aytemiz)
For more information, call +39 055 2654588/89, mail info@artigianatoepalazzo.it or visit www.artigianatoepalazzo.it
