Samuele Alfani Opens Bagasseria, a Community Art Space in Florence's Sant'Ambrogio District

Florentine painter Samuele Alfani (born 1985) has established Bagasseria, a new art space in the Sant'Ambrogio neighborhood of Florence, Italy. The venue, whose Catalan name translates to "house of prostitution," is conceived as a porous community hub, studio, and exhibition space. Its inaugural group exhibition, "Bau Bau Baby," curated by Luigi Presicce and Anna Capolupo with texts by Francesco Lauretta, runs by appointment until May 17. The show features artists including Francesco Lauretta, Davide Serpetti, Thomas Berra, and Alfani himself, transforming a personal memory into a shared experience. Alfani describes the project as born from a long-held urgency to create real hospitality for those who live art as a vital practice. Located near the Via dell'Agnolo market, the space intentionally absorbs the neighborhood's rhythms. Bagasseria's program will evolve through four annual exhibitions and collaborations across art, music, and literature, maintaining an open, chapter-based structure. The founder emphasizes creating conditions for transformation, valuing process as much as the final artwork, and fostering a collective, relational approach to art-making that welcomes conflict and unpredictability. Photographer Virginia Landi documented the space.