How a Design Residency is Shaking Up Florence’s Art Scene
Since opening in 2016, Numeroventi, the brainchild of now‑former venue manager Modestino Ricciardelli and one‑time graphic designer Martino di Napoli Rampolla, has invited artists and designers from all over the world to live and collaborate together under one roof.
An electric shiver pulses through my body as Modestino Ricciardelli leads me into sculptor Lorenzo Brinati’s studio. I’m quick to blame it on the AeroPress coffee I chugged minutes earlier and the excitement of finally being here (I’ve been obsessively scrolling through Numeroventi’s Instagram feed for weeks). It’s not until he shows me his latest piece – part of a series of sculptures that will move through vibrations – that I begin to make sense of what I’m feeling.
“All objects and people have a natural frequency or set of frequencies at which they vibrate,” Brinati explains. With his strong, rugged hands (marble carving requires incredible upper body strength), Brinati spins his geometric marble sculpture to demonstrate, bridging the gap between science and art like his Florentine predecessors did centuries ago. I’m convinced the jitter isn’t induced by caffeine – I’m simply picking up Numeroventi’s good vibrations.
