Florence's Le Murate Rebrands as MAD, Grows 74% in 2018

Le Murate Progetti Arte Contemporanea in Florence has rebranded as MAD (Murate Art District), reflecting its expanded international scope and interdisciplinary programming. Director Valentina Gensini reports a 74% increase in visitors in 2018 compared to 2017, with 500 artists in residence that year and 600 by October 2019. Half of these are senior artists producing work and leading workshops; the other half are junior artists in training. The district now emphasizes residencies over temporary exhibitions, aiming for deep site-specific research. The inaugural exhibition under the new name is "Florentine Voices" by Piero Mottola, part of his ongoing international "Voices" project. Mottola spent weeks at the Murate complex working with citizens, students from the Conservatory and Academy, and local youth. The resulting sound-emotional portrait of Florence includes voices from Milanese, Romans, Chinese, Iranians, and others, reflecting the city's international community. The exhibition features an algorithm-driven sound installation in the Sala Anna Banti, a visual score translating sound frequencies into color, and historical works from the 1980s on relational art. MAD is supported by the Comune and Regione as public commissioners. Upcoming plans include a major exhibition on the Progetto Riva, focusing on landscape and hydrogeological risk, and a conference on artist residencies on November 28, 2019.