Italy’s cities are not giving up despite the enormous difficulty faced in 2020. Cities across the country, big and small, have decided to light up their historic centers for the Holiday season bringing cheer to their citizens. Florence‘s Firenze Light Festival is back again this year with a symbolic theme of Dante: Sight, from the darkness to the light.
700 years after Dante’s death, the metaphor of coming out of the dark into the light is perfectly in line with the events of 2020.
Numerous parts of the city will be lit up from the squares to Ponte Vecchio, from Forte Belvedere to the medieval towers and gates, from Palazzo Medici Riccardi to the Novecento Museum, in addition to the neighborhoods outside the historic center. A special tribute will be dedicated to hospitals and healthcare workers.
Videomapping will transform Palazzo Medici and Ponte Vecchio into a magical canvas. While the Chamber of Commerce will light up with colored lights and projections inspired by Dante’s verses. The Museo Novecento, on the facade of the former Leopoldine building, will be the canvas for a light installation by collective artist Claire Fontaine with the words “We are with you in the night”.
And in the Piazze Gino Bartali, Santo Spirito and Santa Maria Novella, Three Artist Trees will return with three trees designed by three internationally renowned artists.
To pay homage to hospitals and staff during the health emergency and to remember the pain of those who have been overwhelmed by the disease, three light beams will be projected into the sky on an evening close to Christmas day. “The beacons of the resistance. Faith, Hope, Charity “, will symbolically start from Piazza della Repubblica, where the column of abundance is located, from the Baptistery of Florence, the spiritual foundation of the city, near the column of San Zanobi, and near the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova.
“Without crowds, Florence keeps its lights on and sends a message of closeness, respect and hope to the citizens at the end of a very difficult year”. (Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence)
Firenze Light will take place from 8 December 2020 to 6 January 2021 promoted by the Municipality of Florence, MUS.E, and with the artistic direction of Sergio Risaliti.
See the complete program at www.flightfirenze.it
Press Office Davis & Co. per MUS.E
