Palazzo Strozzi Opens New Project Space for Contemporary Art in Florence

Palazzo Strozzi in Florence has inaugurated a new exhibition area called the Project Space, dedicated to contemporary artistic production, particularly by young artists. Located in the former bookshop space accessible from the courtyard, it features free entry and extended hours (daily 10-20, Thursday until 23). The first exhibition, titled "the hollow men," is a site-specific project by Italian artist Giulia Cenci (born 1988, Cortona), running from May 29 to August 31. Cenci, who has exhibited at the Venice Biennale, MAXXI, Centro Pecci, and previously at Palazzo Strozzi, works with everyday and industrial materials, combining scraps and found objects into hybrid figures. The exhibition draws inspiration from T.S. Eliot's 1925 poem "The Hollow Men," reflecting on trauma and fragility. The main room features a tall sculpture incorporating an Archimedes' screw, surrounded by aluminum figures blending human, animal, and vegetal elements. An adjacent room shows a three-headed figure suspended, while the last room contains a metallic table with drawings and the poem on the wall. Palazzo Strozzi director Arturo Galansino curated the show, emphasizing the space as a platform for reflection and production.