Works of Contemporary Art on display in Art galleries and Modern Art museums in Florence

Modern Art in Florence

A contemporary world behind a Renaissance façade.

Perhaps Florence isn’t the first city that comes to mind when considering modern art. Yet despite the Tuscan capital’s medieval and Renaissance splendors, Florence maintains a surprising reputation for innovation, even in the contemporary arts.

Behind its Renaissance façade, the city boasts many modern art galleries and contemporary spaces that merge Florence’s past with its forward-thinking present.

Of course, places like Palazzo Strozzi and Forte di Belvedere often host more prestigious contemporary art exhibitions, while museums like the Galleria dell’ Accademia and Palazzo Vecchio are known for integrating modern art creations into their historic collections. Besides the larger exhibitions around the city, you’ll find a number of spaces dedicated to promoting and exposing Florence’s contemporary art world.

Palazzo Strozzi

The Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi is a a dynamic cultural center hosting an extensive exhibition program that attract visitors from all over the word. Marina Abramovic, Tomas Saraceno, Jeff Koons, and many others are contemporary artists who have exposed their modern art in Palazzo Strozzi with innovative and revolutionary exhibitions.

Don't miss the most recent modern art exhibition dedicated to Olafur Eliasson.

Here are a few contemporary art spaces to check out:

Manifattura Tabacchi

Manifattura Tabacchi is an all-round creative and artistic hub that gives Florence an urban and innovative touch; Manifattura Tabacchi is now a temple of creativity and contemporary art and hosts many exhibition projects that explore Italian and international modern arts.

Modern Art galleries not to miss

Galleria Frittelli is one of Florence’s largest contemporary art spaces. Its founders, Carlo and Simone Frittelli, opted for a Brooklyn mentality, setting up shop in the more suburban Novoli district (think closed-down warehouses). Today, this modern art gallery hosts temporary exhibitions featuring Italian and international artists alike, and aims to showcase Italian art from the 1950s to today.

Galleria Frittelli collaborates with a large number of museums, art foundations, public institutions, artists, curators, critics, art historians and collectors. Here, you’ll find Italian abstract art from the post-war era, analytical paintings, visual poetry and works by emerging artists. The gallery is also home to archives containing works by Pino Pascali, Gianni Bertini and Vinicio Berti.

Back in the center of Florence, Eduardo Secci Contemporary, founded in 2013, links Florence’s ancient and modern worlds in a series of innovative and cutting-edge exhibitions.

Besides showcasing both emerging and established contemporary artists, the gallery focuses on artists that employ numerous mediums for their work.

Its bright rooms are located a few steps away from the Arno – a perfect space to add to your evening stroll through Florence.

Along these lines, if you’re looking for something a bit out of the norm, head to Street Levels Gallery, a creative hub and gallery dedicated to exploring the relationship between street art and the public. A meeting point for young creative talents, the gallery brings this underrepresented art form to the mainstream gallery world, creating a fascinating and stimulating dialogue between alternative art and Florence’s age-old history.

Outdoor Art

Lower your gaze from the city’s sky-high monuments to enjoy another Florentine treasure : the open-air museums.

Near the famed Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence’s beautiful Rose Garden offers visitors a special treat: ten bronze sculptures by Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon, an interesting pairing to the idyllic 19th-century garden.

Here, you’ll also find a beautiful Japanese Shorai oasis, a gift from Florence’s sister city, Kyoto, which gives your European art tour a splash of East Asian flair.

Another spot not to miss is Le Murate Progetti Arte Contemporanea, a former men’s prison now home to one of Florence’s coolest bars. The space hosts temporary art shows, site-specific installations and artist residences, not to mention conferences, workshops and an array of outdoor concerts . If you’re looking for an outdoor spot filled with art and contemporary happenings, Le Murate is the place to go.

Hidden by a lush garden in the heart of Florence is another Aria Art Gallery. This trendy space moved to Florence in 2009 from its original Pietrasanta location. Wander through a historic tropical garden (from 1534) to enter a vibrant exhibition space. Here, besides contemporary exhibitions, art fairs, events and performances, you’ll find works by masters of the past and present, including Andy Warhol, Amedeo Modigliani and Carole A. Feuerman . Contemporary Florence is unique in its blending of the past and present; this gallery successfully transmits the best of Florence’s rich history with its blossoming contemporary art world.