Visitors to Florence’s historic Palazzo Strozzi will be able to see the building in a whole new light this fall, thanks to Olafur Eliasson. The Icelandic-Danish artist has installed 11 of his sensory artworks in the building, including a brand new 11-foot-tall ellipse whose moire pattern distorts perceptions of the palace’s classical courtyard.
Under Time (2022) is a brand new work of art suspended 8 meters above the ground. When visitors view the artwork, its moiré pattern of overlapping grids throws off their sense of balance, altering the perception of the architectural grid of the courtyard.
The artwork sets the tone for the vast spectacle, dubbed Nel Tuo Tempo (In Your Time). This is Eliasson’s largest exhibition in Italy to date and brings together old and new artwork to activate the spaces of the palace through light, shadow, reflection, pattern and color .
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Photography: studio Ela Bialkowska OKNO
Eliasson says: “Nel tuo tempo is an encounter between works of art, visitors and the Palazzo Strozzi itself. This extraordinary Renaissance building has spanned the centuries to welcome us here, now, in the 21st century – not as a mere host of art but as a co-producer of the exhibition.
On the other side of the Piano Nobile, Eliasson “borrows” the building’s windows, using light, color and shadow to reveal the imperfections of their glass. He also revisits his weather-based installations, evoking personal rainbows (With Beauty, 1993) and spaces bathed in monofrequent light that reduces colors to shades of gray and yellow.
The expansive spectacle is curated by Fondazione director Arturo Galansino, which offers visitors “the experience of the ‘here and now’…projecting the legacy of the Renaissance into the present”. It’s a succinct reminder that while Eliasson’s installations have reached meteoric heights thanks to social media, they’re still best enjoyed in person, in the moment.
