Here at CPiF we love hearing about new art spaces opening up in Florence. You won’t want to miss the CURA ART LAB Open Studio on June 9! Read on to learn more.
First, let’s get to know the duo behind this brand new co-working art space in the heart of Florence.
Pabliu Lucero, originally from Villa Carloz Paz, Cordoba, Argentina, has been guided by a life-long passion for painting, working and traveling throughout Latin America as a street artist and muralist. His art work reflects the influences of the cultures and individuals that have touched his life throughout his journeys and experiences. In 2014 while in Panama, he opened his own art studio, becoming intimately involved with “El Chorrillo’s” community, working with the young people developing educational programs which included painting, art and self-expression. Pabliu is currently based in Florence with his wife Eugenia Ingegno and their baby where he is the co-director of CURA ART LAB.
Eugenia Ingegno is an Italian jewelry maker and co-founder and co-director of CURA ART LAB. She received her degree in History and Conservation of Artistic Heritage with a focus on Ancient Byzantine Jewelry, studied Goldsmithing, Wax Modeling and Enameling graduating from Alchimia contemporary jewelry school in 2009. Her work is focused on the concepts of decoration and communication while exploring the anthropological meanings of jewelry. She has exhibited widely across Europe including: Inhorgenta, Munich, the Marzee International Graduation Show 2009, and multiple shows with Alternatives Gallery in Rome and Putti Gallery in Riga, Latvia. In 2010 she started the 1×1 Collective to promote contemporary jewelry in Italy and abroad, and in 2014 while in South America she began to develop educational and art therapy projects for children and for indigenous communities and organizations. In 2016 she she opened CURA ART LAB with Pabliu.
We got together with Pabliu and Eugenia to talk more about their vision for Cura Art Lab and for the contemporary art community in Florence.
CPIF: How would you describe your relationship with Florence?
Pabliu and Eugenia: Florence is a city full of history and art which allows us to be constantly inspired. We are part of a new generation of young artists who have the need to create a new reality which can be adapted to our needs. Being immersed in a city with such a rich culture, we find ourselves on a path full of possibilities for emerging contemporary art. The contrast between new ways of living and the historical city enriches our relationship with the people and the city itself.
What is CURA ART LAB and where did the idea come from?
CURA is the first co-working art lab in Florence exclusively dedicated to visual and applied arts. At CURA we generate opportunities to create, starting with research and experimentation. It is a growing community for emerging artists where they find inspiration as well as the basic tools the need for their work. It was born from the need of creating a place where all kinds of art expressions could exist together. CURA creates a community in which artists from different disciplines work side by side and inspire each other, where they can work freely and experiment.
In your own art practices how important is collaboration with other artists and creative people? What do you look for in a potential creative collaborator?
In our experience collaboration with other artists is fundamental for the creation of interesting relationships and new ideas. We seek to work with artists who have a mature vision as well as emerging artists to build a creative chain between the two. CURA also offers opportunities like workshops, exhibitions, and artistic trips in order to bring together artists at different points in their careers.
What can we expect to see at the inauguration of the space on June 9?
The inauguration will be an open studio event where all of our artists will be working. During the evening the resident artists in CURA as well as some invited artists will present their work, sharing their creative processes in real time. The main goal is to share our creative space with other artists, and to invite visitors into an artist’s reality for a moment.
Are there any other plans or projects coming up that you want to share with the group?
Yes! We have a calendar with different artistic activities going on everyday, open to every artist inside and outside CURA. We also have monthly workshops regarding specific artistic themes. In the future, we will develop an exhibition calendar in several places throughout Florence promoting our artists’ work.
For more information about CURA ART LAB, click here.
creativepeopleinflorence.com 