A man riding a gigantic bronze turtle; an enormous globe made of insect wings and beetle shells.
When you picture Florence, Italy, these may not be the types of artwork you’d expect to find. Nevertheless, if you’re planning on visiting Florence between now and October, you won’t be able to miss the Spiritual Guards exhibition by Belgian contemporary artist Jan Fabre.
Dramatic, larger-than-life bronze sculptures stand in the Piazza della Signoria as well as in the Palazzo Vecchio, and many other works are on display around the city. There are nearly one hundred pieces exhibited in total, dating from 1978 to the present year.
Fabre’s art covers many disciplines, from sculpture and illustration to film and theater. His art draws comparisons between seemingly contrasting things: the natural and the spiritual, heaven and earth. In a city like Florence, with its old stone buildings and iconic marble statues, Fabre’s imagination finds a place amidst history.