Image creditInstallation view. © Forte Belvedere

At a glance

A multi-stage takeover of Florence's hilltop fortress that places contemporary critique and 20th-century bronze sculpture against panoramic views of the city.

Why go

The exhibition uses the dramatic architecture of Forte di Belvedere to stage an evolving conversation between Per Barclay’s site-specific works, Paolo Canevari’s industrial sculptures, and Marino Marini’s modernist bronzes.

You'll see

Rubber tyre sculptures · Modernist bronze figures · Site-specific installations · Sound art on the bastions · Panoramic views of Florence

Pace of visit

The exhibition unfolds across several fortress levels and changes as new artistic chapters are introduced throughout the summer season.

Don't miss

Friedrich Andreoni’s sound installation, which uses the fortress bastions to create an auditory backdrop overlooking the Florentine skyline.

Artlovers Tip

Plan your visit for late afternoon to see the sculptures in the changing light; the fortress offers one of the best perspectives of Florence away from the central crowds.

Inside the exhibition

Meet the artist

Paolo Canevari, Marino Marini, Per Barclay, Friedrich Andreoni

Period

2020s–Today

Description

Drama: Four Acts at Belvedere Firenze in Florence, Italy, transforms the historic sixteenth-century fortress into a theatrical sequence of contemporary art interventions. The project evolves in stages, beginning with a solo presentation by Paolo Canevari before introducing works by Marino Marini and Per Barclay across the summer months.

The exhibition centers on Canevari’s use of industrial materials like tyre rubber to critique global power structures and the oil economy. His works, including an American flag draped over oil barrels, sit alongside 20th-century bronze sculptures by Marini. Later, Per Barclay adds a site-specific installation that shifts the visual rhythm of the grounds through his unique architectural approach.

By staging these works in an outdoor defensive structure, the exhibition explores themes of violence, memory, and sacredness. A sound installation by Friedrich Andreoni follows visitors along the bastions, grounding the conceptual weight of the sculpture in the physical atmosphere of the Tuscan landscape and the urban panorama below.

Worth travelling for?

A compelling outdoor experience for visitors who enjoy the intersection of contemporary political art and historic architecture with exceptional views over Florence.

Experience as an Artlover

Start at the Palazzina for the indoor works before walking the outer bastions to experience the sound elements and the dialogue between the sculptures and the city.

Exhibition

Drama: Four Acts

Contemporary Art

Artlovers relevance

30-45 mins

Plan your visit

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