Taking Root
A new work of art emerges on the storied streets of Rome. Kissa Castañeda witnesses the historic unveiling of Foglie di Pietra, Fendi’s permanent gift—and enduring love letter—to the Eternal City
It has been said over a thousand times: visiting Rome is like being in an open-air museum. Though its magnificent past defines the city, the comparison to the staid setting of a museum is to misunderstand Rome completely. It is a dynamic capital that feeds off the energy of its people, and is faced with urban challenges exacerbated by the seven to 10 million people that visit it annually. Perhaps it was fitting that the day I landed in Rome in May, it was Cortili Aperti Roma— the only weekend in a year when private palazzos open up their doors to the public. It was a different type of history lesson, and after visiting four separate sites, I gained a greater appreciation of Rome as a living, breathing city. Tourists, myself included, often see the Eternal City through rose-tinted glasses: a setting ripe for romance and the epitome of dolce vita. Locals, however, are more attuned to its imperfections. The New York Times Rome bureau chief Jason Horowitz recently described it as a “masterpiece obscured by smudged glass”, which perfectly encapsulates its classic beauty as well as its slow degradation. When Pietro Beccari joined Fendi as chairman and CEO in 2012, he shared the same observation—a mix of pride and despair for the future of Rome. “Fendi has a profound connection to Rome and thus we have a responsibility towards it. We’ve reflected upon its history, materials, beautiful light and open hearts in our stores and creations.” A serious art collector himself, Beccari ushered a new era of art and cultural patronage that has strengthened the Fendi identity and cemented its legacy beyond the realm of fashion.
“Fendi has a profound connection to Rome and thus we have a responsibility towards it. We’ve reflected upon its history, materials, beautiful light and open hearts in our stores and creations”
PAST PROGRESSIVE
The journey began with the Fendi for Fountains initiative in 2013, which entailed the restoration of six fountains including the iconic Trevi Fountain that subsequently served as the setting for Fendi’s 90th anniversary runway show last year. In 2015, Fendi moved its corporate headquarters to the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, a 1930s Mussolini-era building that remained derelict for decades. It took on an estimated ¤2.8m lease from the government, then restored the premises and moved in. “I really didn’t know whether it was going to work,” shares Beccari, when we meet in his office, which has a spectacular view of the surrounding EUR district. “We took a risk and I’m glad it paid off.” While the brand’s conservation and restoration work were milestones, there was an urge to do more. “We wanted to create, rather than just restore, and give something back to the city,” stresses Beccari. Thus began a new chapter in Fendi’s history of patronage: the creation of a site-specific contemporary artwork that would be its gift to Rome. Fendi would own the piece for 30 years, after which the rights would be transferred to the city in perpetuity. Given the magnitude of the initiative, it enlisted the help of Massimiliano Gioni, a well-regarded curator and art critic, to liaise with the myriad institutions involved. “The government trusted us but we needed someone to represent Fendi in the discussions,” shares Beccari. Currently the artistic director of the New Museum in New York and curator of the 55th edition of the Venice Biennale, Gioni had plenty of experience and insight to bring to the table. A committee was formed to ensure
the success of the project, which included the Directorate General for Contemporary Art and Architecture and Urban Suburbs of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism, plus the City of Rome—superintendence of Cultural Heritage for Rome. Together they hand-picked acclaimed artist Giuseppe Penone, a sculptor known for his organic, ephemeral creations, and commissioned him to create a public art piece that would be located at Largo Goldoni, just opposite the Palazzo Fendi flagship boutique. On a balmy spring evening in May, Fendi unveiled Foglie di Pietra (Leaves of Stone, 2016), the result of the bold ambition, careful cooperation and unbridled creativity. Standing tall and proud, the complex creation consists of two bronze trees, 9 and 18m-tall, respectively, with interlacing branches. Laid on the branches is a sculpted marble block weighing 11 tonnes, which is mesmerisingly set 5m off the ground. “Having a contemporary public art piece of this calibre shows that Rome isn’t just about history. It channels the energy of nature and proposes the possibility of renewal,” shares Gioni.
BRANCHING OUT
It is not surprising in the least that Fendi undertook such a daring public art project. Established in 1925, Fendi has always invested in artists and bet on creativity. In 1965, Fendi began working with Karl Lagerfeld, a relationship that remains the longest-standing collaboration between a fashion house and a designer. From creating the Peekaboo bag to the Fendi Monsters, it is a brand that is not afraid to push boundaries. At the same time, Fendi is also largely informed by tradition. It places incredible value in artisanship, whether it is the labourintensive creation of a fur coat or employing a decades-old technique in crafting a leather bag. With an eye to the future and a foot in the past, the marriage of tradition and innovation permeates every single endeavour. This linking of past, present and future also resonates in Penone’s work. “He’s an extremely radical and inventive artist but also always aware of tradition,” says Gioni. “If you look at his work, it’s provocative and yet immediately classical. For both Penone and Fendi, innovation is achieved not by refusing tradition, but by sorting through history to create a new language.”
TREE OF LIFE
In order for the public to better understand Penone’s work, Fendi mounted Matrice (Matrix), a six-month-long exhibition at the gallery on the ground floor of Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana. “Penone and I are so happy to have this opportunity to exhibit in a place that was once closed off to the public. It’s a privilege and honour,” shares Gioni, who, apart from working on Foglie di Pietra, also curated the exhibition. “Not only did Fendi create public art, it also wanted to make art public by opening up this space.” The exhibition tracks five decades of Penone’s work from the vantage point of his most recent piece. “It’s not a complete survey of his work but we went through it diagonally and backwards. It was a way to look at his career from the perspective of Foglie di Pietra,” says Gioni.
“For both Giuseppe Penone and Fendi, innovation is achieved not by refusing tradition, but by sorting through history to create a new language”
Penone’s work strongly resonates. A tree is something that everybody has a connection with, and this universality makes it suitable as a public art piece. “One of the reasons we chose him, apart from the fact that he’s such an important artist, was because his work touches upon many different topics and lends itself to be interpreted in many ways.” With Foglie di Pietra, the juxtaposition of its gentle branches stretching out to the sky while supporting the marble block is a feat of engineering and a sight to behold. While the artist insists that his work doesn’t necessarily carry an environmental message, it provokes one to reassess humanity’s relationship with nature. With the news on the failure of the Paris Agreement and the imminent collapse of part of the Antarctic ice shelf, the relevance and timeliness is striking. While Gioni refuses to describe the artwork as a monument, Foglie di Pietra itself is monumental. “Penone comes from a generation that was against the idea of the monument and permanence. It’s amazing to see an artist who has rebelled against certain ideas and later creates something of such historical importance,” shares Gioni. As I strolled down to Palazzo Fendi the morning after, it struck me how the sculpture appears perfectly at home, like it was always meant to be there. The wondering glances of passers-by—stopping to stare at the branches and tentatively touching its base—display how the piece sparks joy and curiosity. “When we look at trees, we see them as static but Penone views them as living objects, as a ‘fluid that hardens through time’. In Italy, art is also a way in which we see time,” muses Gioni. Crafted out of solid bronze, a material that transforms with physical touch, Penone knows that Foglie di Pietra will evolve with the changes of the city. Centuries from now, it will be seen as a reminder of a time the people of Rome came together, dared to dream, and erected an eternal gift to their home.