Siena's Palazzo Giorgi may become an art foundation

In Siena, amid a perceived cultural identity crisis, new civic initiatives are emerging. The nonprofit Officina Parnaso, founded three years ago by seven members including Antonio Jannaccone, aims to compensate for the lack of professional arts expertise through active cultural militancy. Their latest project involves a collaboration with Emilio Giorgi, owner of Palazzo Giorgi, a historic building with a stunning view of Piazza del Campo. After a planned site-specific exhibition in a sushi bar fell through due to the bar's reopening, Giorgi offered an apartment in Palazzo Giorgi instead. The space, previously used for high-end tourism, is now hosting exhibitions curated by artist Claudio Maccari. The collaboration with Officina Parnaso may lead to the creation of a permanent foundation. The inaugural exhibition features Gyotaku Levante (Elena Di Capita, 37, from Chiavari, Liguria), presenting ten works using the 19th-century Japanese gyotaku technique for fish prints, in dialogue with a Japanese woodcut, reflecting on the health of nature and culture. The exhibition runs from February 20 to March 20, 2022.