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papersynthesis

november

papersynthesis ~ handmade paper items & prints ~ florence, italy ~ Lisa McGarry

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The Art of Window Shopping

Fare lo shopping is something I have little patience for but, as I explained in The Piazzas of Florence, window shopping is another story: “Whether along Via Tornabuoni or a narrow side street selling a mix of treasures—engravings, textiles, books, decorative hardware, hand-printed paper, original art—the window displays tend toward works of art themselves. [They are] at once attractive, provocative, original and trendy . . . I draw inspiration from the colors, the fabrics, the twists on the classics, and my mind turns over the possibilities for transforming the fashions—sometimes outlandish, other times incredibly clever—into another creative idea.”

When I was out a few nights ago I noticed the latest window displays at La Rinascente, a department store in Piazza della Repubblica. It’s rare that shop windows attract as much attention as the ones featuring pieces by artists Margherita Marchioni & Satsuki Oishi, but the corner that La Rinascente sits on has essentially become an outdoor art gallery, arousing curiosity & delight in passers-by who are drawn to examine the displays. The window pictured in the two views above was my favorite; Margherita Marchioni created these bursts of color by sewing together recycled bottles. Pure inspiration . . . [I’ll post some better photos taken during the day as soon as I have a chance.]