EXHIBITION OF “PUBBLICO”

“Pubblico” explores the artist’s role in contemporary society, focusing on artistic communities and their workspaces as a common good.

Since July, the ateliers at Manifattura Tabacchi have hosted Toast Project Studio, where local artists have found their first studio, turning the space into a key point for the emerging art scene in Florence.

The exhibition tells this story and looks at the artist as a bridge between private and public life. The show combines a collective exhibition with an open studio model, exploring the connection between the artist and the environment – physical, social, and metaphorical – where they live and work.

Pubblico is a contemporary art group exhibition curated by Toast Project, featuring Zeno Festi, Sara Giacomelli, Giovanna Graniero, Gabriele Hoxha, Francesco Maggiora, Milo Maricelli, Bianca Migliorini, Gaia Lupo, Demis Rosa, Nina Silvestri, and Chiara Siddu.

Through a hybrid exhibition setup, Pubblico integrates five active artist studios into the exhibition route. These spaces, usually reserved for individual research, remain fully functional throughout the exhibition and are made accessible through direct engagement with the artists themselves. This approach fosters interaction with the Toast Project Studio community, encouraging dialogue and new connections.

The exhibition explores the role of the artist in contemporary society, considering artistic communities and their workspaces as shared cultural assets. It reaffirms the connection between art and society, positioning the artist as a mediator between the private and public spheres while investigating the relationship between the body, shared space, and collective experience.

The works on display reveal how artistic practice intertwines with the surrounding environment—both as a lived experience in public space and as a process of redefining its meanings. In this perspective, the artist’s body becomes a tool for interaction and transformation of places, activating new interpretations of the city and its territory.

Pubblico is a public/studio program designed and led by Toast Project within the spaces of Manifattura Tabacchi in Florence. For the participating artists, these studios have represented their first working spaces after the Academy. Through collective practice, their activities have transformed the space into a hub for Florence’s emerging art scene. The exhibition reflects and amplifies this process, opening up typically private artistic practices, such as Incontro sessions—moments where artists present their work through portfolio reviews, fostering open discussions with the community.

The program will be accessible with a weekly schedule starting Wednesday, March 19th.