What is The Garzoni Challenge?
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A seventeenth-century female painter and her ‘challenge’ for artists today
90 works by Baroque artist Giovanna Garzoni and her contemporaries were on show at the Uffizi Galleries annual ‘Women’s Day’ exhibition, which ran from May 28 to June 28. What would happen if today’s artists were to follow her lead in pairing the exotic and the familiar?
A woman of her times, Giovanna Garzoni (1600 – 1670) exemplifies the seventeenth-century interest in scientific detail and minute realism, but her ‘miniaturist’ eye seeks a globalized vision. Garzoni’s art brings together England and Japan, Mexico and China… In her luminous still life works, shells collected on faraway beaches are matched with precious blooms that grow in jungle weather. Delectable fruit from the ‘front garden’ is heaped half-eaten in Far-East porcelain. The artist captures the ‘Universe in a painting’ by immortalizing artefacts from around the globe without ever straying from local landscape.
As the world strives to remember and recognize the achievements of pioneering women, the Uffizi Galleries, in partnership with Advancing Women Artists and the Medici Archive Project, launch a creative ‘challenge’. It’s an appeal, ‘challenging’ modern-day artists to use Garzoni’s art as a springboard to create their own original works, spotlighting the foreign and the familiar. Cultural and educational institutions across the globe are invited to host their own editions. The Garzoni Challenge bridges the gap between art of the past and art of the present, becoming a catalyst for creative conversation through the centuries.
90 works by Baroque artist Giovanna Garzoni and her contemporaries were on show at the Uffizi Galleries annual ‘Women’s Day’ exhibition, which ran from May 28 to June 28. What would happen if today’s artists were to follow her lead in pairing the exotic and the familiar?
A woman of her times, Giovanna Garzoni (1600 – 1670) exemplifies the seventeenth-century interest in scientific detail and minute realism, but her ‘miniaturist’ eye seeks a globalized vision. Garzoni’s art brings together England and Japan, Mexico and China… In her luminous still life works, shells collected on faraway beaches are matched with precious blooms that grow in jungle weather. Delectable fruit from the ‘front garden’ is heaped half-eaten in Far-East porcelain. The artist captures the ‘Universe in a painting’ by immortalizing artefacts from around the globe without ever straying from local landscape.
As the world strives to remember and recognize the achievements of pioneering women, the Uffizi Galleries, in partnership with Advancing Women Artists and the Medici Archive Project, launch a creative ‘challenge’. It’s an appeal, ‘challenging’ modern-day artists to use Garzoni’s art as a springboard to create their own original works, spotlighting the foreign and the familiar. Cultural and educational institutions across the globe are invited to host their own editions. The Garzoni Challenge bridges the gap between art of the past and art of the present, becoming a catalyst for creative conversation through the centuries.
For participating artists
From its very inception, the Uffizi Galleries has always been a ‘haunt’ for artists seeking inspiration from works of the Masters. Why not continue the tradition? From March 8 to June 28, 2020, participating artists and photographers were invited to ‘upload’ an HD image of their original artwork inspired by Giovanna Garzoni’s oeuvre. The Challenge welcomed paintings, sculpture, drawing, graphic art photography. Please note, that entries considered particularly noteworthy may be shared and published by event organizers for the purposes and promotion of the Challenge. Whilst no royalties will be awarded to featured artists, they will receive name recognition for use. Artworks featured will be solely at the discretion of organizers. Participation does not guarantee visibility.
From its very inception, the Uffizi Galleries has always been a ‘haunt’ for artists seeking inspiration from works of the Masters. Why not continue the tradition? From March 8 to June 28, 2020, participating artists and photographers were invited to ‘upload’ an HD image of their original artwork inspired by Giovanna Garzoni’s oeuvre. The Challenge welcomed paintings, sculpture, drawing, graphic art photography. Please note, that entries considered particularly noteworthy may be shared and published by event organizers for the purposes and promotion of the Challenge. Whilst no royalties will be awarded to featured artists, they will receive name recognition for use. Artworks featured will be solely at the discretion of organizers. Participation does not guarantee visibility.
Launching the challenge ‘live’
The Garzoni Challenge was a conversation, not a competition. Organizers launched the Challenge Live at the Inauguration at the Pitti Palace. During the Florence event, Gallery Director Eike Schmidt shared the concept of the Uffizi as a ‘living museum’ and its efforts in recent years to spotlight art by women. AWA Director Linda Falcone ‘launched’ the challenge itself, with a selection of ‘photographed’ examples by select artists, locally and internationally.
External shot, Pitti Palace
Goldsmiths University of London
Who’s involved
Project partners
The Uffizi Galleries, Advancing Women Artists, The Medici Archive Project
Participating institutions
A growing list of 2020 participants from various ‘walks of knowledge’
Embassy of Italy in Washington DC and Italian Cultural Institute, The Women's Art Library, part of Goldsmiths University of London’s Special Collections and Archives. University of Dublin Foundation for Italian Studies at the Newman Theatre with UCD Alumni Relations as part of the “BetterforBalance. University of Texas’ Rio Grande Valley School of Art in Edinburg Texas. De La Salle Catholic College in Cronulla, Sydney, Australia. Ludington Area Arts Center in Ludington Michigan, Art History Department at Radboud in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Studio Giambo, Firenze.
Participating Artists
Tiziana Acomanni, Luisa Albert, Laura Amorosi, Monica Anselmi, Rosa Anna Argento, Rossella Baldecchi, Alessandra Barucchieri, Ita Barbini, Lucy Bates, Helen Bayley, Cinzia Beccaceci, Amy Bellezza, Ivana Belloni, Cinzia Bernardi, Costanza Berti, Marzia Bianchi, Elizabeth Bisbing, Niki Bivona, Zoe Bollard, Maureen Breed, Mary Brewster, Joanna Burgess, Joyce E. Butler, Anna Maria Calamandrei, Carlo Capanni, Anne Carty, Camilla Cheade, April Claggett, Elizabeth Cobalt, Claudia Collina, Michela Concetti, Lara Cooper, Angela Corelli, Maria Corsi, Angela Crucitti, Stefania Dal Molin, Shanelle Deater, Ysabel Dhais, Christine Desmond Cleary, Tamara Donati, Susan Duca, Mariolina Dufour, Maria Chiara Fantini, Valeria Feliù, Silvia Fossati, Franca Frittelli, Nancy Galliher, Susan Ganj, Gaia Gentilotti, Sabrina Giacomoni, Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso, Klaudia Còrnik, Tricia Grame, Chiara, Grilli, Julie Hauer, Mamie Holst, Stephanie Honrado, Barbara Humphrey, Jante Jaffke, Cynthia Joyce, Fabiba Kalantari, Jonathan Katz, Nancy Kempf, Ida Kvist, Marny Lawton, Helen Lees, Brynna Levine, Riccardo Lolli, Sara lovari, Markos Lucchetti, Margaret MacKinnon, Clara Mallegni, Anna Maria Masoni, Poiret Masse, Wayne McArdle, Charlotte McArdle, Jane Mcaulay, Sarah McCarthy, Linda McDermott, Philippa McHattie, Sharlene McLearon, Donatella Mei, Karen Meneghin, Jane Mjolsness, Alessandra Mollica Sarti, Laura Nalin, Caterina Narracci, Giuliana Natali, Amy Nelder, Silvia Nencioni, Margherita Paoletti, Aria Luna Parra Rasine, Sharon Peterson, Gabriella Piazzolla, Daniele Pinni, Valeria Paropat, Brigitte Rasine, Sergio Rinaldelli, Venere Rizzo, Franco Robecchi, Andrea Robinson, Stephanie Salomons, Koo Schroeter, Susan Schultz, Enrico Serraglini, Sal Sidner, Claudia Sigismondi, Yasmi Silva, Marcha Solomon, Esmeralda Spada, Giovanna Sparapani, Lorena Squarcia, Rea Stavropoulos, Sharon Stepman, Giuliana Susterini, Paulette Tavormina, Marìa Carmen Theresa, Sylvia Teri, Iliana Theodoropoulou, Giuseppe Tocchetti, Silvia Todesco, Giovanna Ugolini, Agnes Vincent, Paolo Virgili, Sandra Wakeen, Stacey Winters, Elisa Zadi, Patrizia Zingaretti, Elena Zito, Sofia Zuluaga.
The Uffizi Galleries, Advancing Women Artists, The Medici Archive Project
Participating institutions
A growing list of 2020 participants from various ‘walks of knowledge’
Embassy of Italy in Washington DC and Italian Cultural Institute, The Women's Art Library, part of Goldsmiths University of London’s Special Collections and Archives. University of Dublin Foundation for Italian Studies at the Newman Theatre with UCD Alumni Relations as part of the “BetterforBalance. University of Texas’ Rio Grande Valley School of Art in Edinburg Texas. De La Salle Catholic College in Cronulla, Sydney, Australia. Ludington Area Arts Center in Ludington Michigan, Art History Department at Radboud in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Studio Giambo, Firenze.
Participating Artists
Tiziana Acomanni, Luisa Albert, Laura Amorosi, Monica Anselmi, Rosa Anna Argento, Rossella Baldecchi, Alessandra Barucchieri, Ita Barbini, Lucy Bates, Helen Bayley, Cinzia Beccaceci, Amy Bellezza, Ivana Belloni, Cinzia Bernardi, Costanza Berti, Marzia Bianchi, Elizabeth Bisbing, Niki Bivona, Zoe Bollard, Maureen Breed, Mary Brewster, Joanna Burgess, Joyce E. Butler, Anna Maria Calamandrei, Carlo Capanni, Anne Carty, Camilla Cheade, April Claggett, Elizabeth Cobalt, Claudia Collina, Michela Concetti, Lara Cooper, Angela Corelli, Maria Corsi, Angela Crucitti, Stefania Dal Molin, Shanelle Deater, Ysabel Dhais, Christine Desmond Cleary, Tamara Donati, Susan Duca, Mariolina Dufour, Maria Chiara Fantini, Valeria Feliù, Silvia Fossati, Franca Frittelli, Nancy Galliher, Susan Ganj, Gaia Gentilotti, Sabrina Giacomoni, Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso, Klaudia Còrnik, Tricia Grame, Chiara, Grilli, Julie Hauer, Mamie Holst, Stephanie Honrado, Barbara Humphrey, Jante Jaffke, Cynthia Joyce, Fabiba Kalantari, Jonathan Katz, Nancy Kempf, Ida Kvist, Marny Lawton, Helen Lees, Brynna Levine, Riccardo Lolli, Sara lovari, Markos Lucchetti, Margaret MacKinnon, Clara Mallegni, Anna Maria Masoni, Poiret Masse, Wayne McArdle, Charlotte McArdle, Jane Mcaulay, Sarah McCarthy, Linda McDermott, Philippa McHattie, Sharlene McLearon, Donatella Mei, Karen Meneghin, Jane Mjolsness, Alessandra Mollica Sarti, Laura Nalin, Caterina Narracci, Giuliana Natali, Amy Nelder, Silvia Nencioni, Margherita Paoletti, Aria Luna Parra Rasine, Sharon Peterson, Gabriella Piazzolla, Daniele Pinni, Valeria Paropat, Brigitte Rasine, Sergio Rinaldelli, Venere Rizzo, Franco Robecchi, Andrea Robinson, Stephanie Salomons, Koo Schroeter, Susan Schultz, Enrico Serraglini, Sal Sidner, Claudia Sigismondi, Yasmi Silva, Marcha Solomon, Esmeralda Spada, Giovanna Sparapani, Lorena Squarcia, Rea Stavropoulos, Sharon Stepman, Giuliana Susterini, Paulette Tavormina, Marìa Carmen Theresa, Sylvia Teri, Iliana Theodoropoulou, Giuseppe Tocchetti, Silvia Todesco, Giovanna Ugolini, Agnes Vincent, Paolo Virgili, Sandra Wakeen, Stacey Winters, Elisa Zadi, Patrizia Zingaretti, Elena Zito, Sofia Zuluaga.
The Garzoni Challenge Clip... Part I
Have a look at a sampling of our Garzoni Challenge art in the video below.
The Garzoni Challenge Clip... Part II
More than 130 artists shared their images inspired by the Garzoni exhibition, opened on May 28th, in a Florence just out of lockdown. This 'collage gallery' reflects the dialogue inside and outside the museum.
AWA has many works at the Museo Novecento, shown here before its opening in 2014
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Do you want to know more about The Garzoni Show?
"The Greatness of the Universe in the Art of Giovanna Garzoni", postponed due to coronavirus was rescheduled from May 28 to June 28, 2020. Curated by US art historian Sheila Barker, the exhibition was organized by the Uffizi Galleries in collaboration with the Medici Archive Project.
Have a look at the ‘Exhibition Teaser’.