Giuseppe Lo Schiavo's 'Rotta' at Palazzo Vecchio: Mediterranean as Liquid Border
In Florence, at the Sala d'Arme of Palazzo Vecchio, artist Giuseppe Lo Schiavo (born 1986, Pizzo) showcases 'Rotta,' an installation that uniquely combines video, sound, and sculpture. Curated by Serena Tabacchi and supported by the collaboration of Musei Civici Fiorentini, Comune di Firenze, and Fondazione MUS.E, the exhibit will be open until March 29, 2026. This work is inspired by a performance conducted on December 10, 2025, off the coast of Calabria by Banda di Pizzo Calabro, led by Alessandro Maglia, which featured requiems and contemporary compositions co-created with Marco Guazzone. Captured through seven cameras and thirty-two microphones, it also includes life-sized bronze dolphins and reflects on themes of fragility and human dignity, highlighting 524 Mediterranean deaths reported between January 1 and February 10, 2026.
Key facts
- Giuseppe Lo Schiavo's 'Rotta' is on view at Sala d'Arme, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence until March 29, 2026.
- The project is curated by Serena Tabacchi and promoted by Musei Civici Fiorentini with Comune di Firenze and Fondazione MUS.E.
- A performance on December 10, 2025, eight miles off the Calabrian coast involved the Banda di Pizzo Calabro directed by Alessandro Maglia.
- Music was co-composed by Marco Guazzone; the performance was documented by seven cameras and thirty-two microphones.
- Life-sized bronze dolphins in the installation are inspired by real dolphins that appeared during filming.
- Between January 1 and February 10, 2026, 524 migrants died or went missing in the Mediterranean.
- The Sala d'Arme was historically an armory, now repurposed for a reflection on human dignity.
- The installation includes a track by composer Rakans, a Mediterranean crossing survivor.
Entities
Artists
- Giuseppe Lo Schiavo
- Serena Tabacchi
- Alessandro Maglia
- Marco Guazzone
- Rakans
- Ginevra Barbetti
Institutions
- Musei Civici Fiorentini
- Comune di Firenze
- Fondazione MUS.E
- Banda di Pizzo Calabro
- Guardia Costiera
- Artribune
Locations
- Florence
- Italy
- Palazzo Vecchio
- Sala d'Arme
- Pizzo
- Calabria
- Mediterranean Sea
- Germany
- Global Sumud Flotilla