Chiara Bettazzi's 'Standby' at Florence's Murate Prison

Chiara Bettazzi's exhibition 'Standby. Installation view' at the Murate complex in Florence, curated by Valentina Gensini and Letizia Bocci, is part of a residency by MAD Murate Art District. The Murate has a layered history as a monastery, Napoleonic prison, military district, civilian housing, artist studios (including Lorenzo Bartolini), a fireworks factory, and again a prison before falling vacant. The show, in partnership with Museo Galileo, features Bettazzi's photography of ancient artifacts from the museum's deposits, using a 1:1 scale and repetition to evoke aesthetic eloquence. However, the use of transparent plastic as a separator, while aligning with her object trouvé poetics, undermines the integrity of the works, echoing Ruskin's concerns. The dislocation of the venue raises questions about spatial pertinence. The project aims to create a contemporary 'piazza' for intellectual exchange and education.