Last week in Florence, Gucci unveiled a series of fresh wall paintings alongside the new exhibition “Il Maschile – Androgynous Mind, Eclectic Body” at Gucci Garden in the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia.
Curated by Maria Luisa Frisa and housed in the Gucci Garden Galleria’s Period Rooms, the show is a demonstration of how Gucci has interpreted and defined men’s fashion over the years. Through a selection of clothing, accessories, objects, images, books, magazines, and videos from the archives, Frisa has created a thoughtful reflection on masculinity and the idea that in today’s world gender is fluid. As an example, a red silk shirt with a bow tied at the neck—one of the first pieces designed for the brand by Gucci’s Creative Director, Alessandro Michele—represents the contemporary body and the unexplored potential within men’s fashion.
Commissioned for the museum’s transitional spaces, a series of new wall paintings by MP5 and Alex Merry have also been revealed. On the first and second floor landings, Italian artist MP5’s incisive black and white style forms a seamless narrative about individuality and the depth of physical and emotional exchange. In the stairwells, Merry’s colorful, dreamlike universe of work has yielded a series of arched windows that metaphorically open onto the Piazza della Signoria outside, depicting metaphysical landscapes where alchemical transformations occur.
Also in place for the start of the new year, in Gucci Garden’s Cinema da Camera, is Magazzini Criminali’s 1980 video work Crollo nervosa [Nervous Breakdown], as well as a refreshed inventory of exclusive items in the boutique—including clothing and items bearing images by MP5.
