THE ARTS

The Creators: Laura Nannucci

Nannucci is one of the 15 artists who paint on the spaces available outside of the Istituto SEI- Biancaspina. Native to Florence, she began painting on the street when she was 17, learning as she went. Two years later, she began taking art classes at the University of Florence, but says she continues to paint on the streets because of her love for people and life.

After three years at the University, Nannucci is entering her final year of doing what she loves. Even though her dad is an engineer, her mom a chemist and her younger sister a scientist, her talents in art drive her to pursue what she loves.

"My family are great supporters of my art," Nannucci said.

Working as a street painter for the last five years in Florence on top of going to school full time, Nannucci is dedicated to her art.

"My art is like life," said Nannucci. "It's very beautiful, but it is a short life."

When asked about it, Nannucci explained that each painting you create has a part of you in it. It is like a child to you. When you sell it, or it is washed away (as is the case with street art), a part of you goes with it. She explained that it is fulfilling to see people enjoy her artwork, though.

"You want to give to the people so much of you," Nannucci said. "All that I could give, I wanted to give."

Indeed, working as a street artist is not easy. Most paintings can take up to eight hours to complete, with most of that time spent hovering over the road.

The pressure to create a masterpiece in school, however, is hovering over her as she enters her last year at the University.

"I want to try to continue to do [street art], but this year I have to create something for my future," Nannucci said. "I would like to travel around doing street art, though."

No matter what, Nannucci will continue bringing out the life in her paintings for others to experience.

"For someone, this is work. For others, it's like a hobby," Nannucci said.

Tomo Saito

Tomo Saito is the 'uncle' of the family and has been doing street art for 11 years. Originally from Japan, Saito has always wanted to do art. He came to Florence in 1996 to study Italian language and painting at the Scuola Lorenzo de' Medici. He is the second oldest of the artists.

"I like painting on the street," Saito said. "I do it because it's fun. I get to express myself and talk to people. The people are never annoying. Maybe one in a thousand."

Unlike the student artists who work one or two days a week, Saito works as a street artist full time. This means he is usually allowed to paint at least three times a week.

When asked why he doesn't sell his artwork instead of washing it away every day, Saito explained that it is another kind of permission from the city--a more expensive one--to sell your artwork on the street.

And, after all the artists have gone through to be able to have that space in front of the Istituto SEI- Biancaspina, why give it up?

"The street used to be asphalt, but the city decided to re-pave it and put stone down a few years ago," Saito explained. "The artists made a petition to the city to mark off spaces in the road and received about a thousand signatures from the people of Florence."

The city marked off three square sections on Via Calimala and one square section near the Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station. The sections of stone were smoothed off when the road was paved and gold metal trim was added, marking their frames.

Claudio Scobino

The 'father' of the group, Claudio Scobino, has been a street artist for 24 years. He teaches many of the other artists what he has learned and techniques to make them better. Although he is the oldest of the artists, his light-hearted, fun attitude brings energy to the artists.

"I like life," Scobino said. "I don't like dead. My art is a little baby. It lives for a short time and then you have to let it go."

Watching Scobino engage his audience, one can feel the energy coming out of him. He is not pushy and he doesn't ask for money, but he has fun explaining to people how to enjoy his art.

"I like freedom, working," said Scobino, who speaks very little English. "Good feeling for people."

History of Street Art

Since the 16th century, street artists in Italy, also known as madonnari, have been painting replicas of the Madonna and other religious scenes on the roads to earn money. Unlike then, however, the city of Florence taxes the artists 700 euros every three months to do their work on the roads.

The artists use the money they make to pay the taxes.

"We meet once a month and put our money together," said Saito. "We divide up the money according to hours and schedules. It's very complicated."

The city allows the artists to work from 9:30 a.m. until midnight every day, which is good since one painting could take up to eight hours to complete.

Street painting of the Mona Lisa.

3-Dimensional Life

The traditional art form of chalk pastel painting on the streets progressed in the 17th and 18th centuries to more than just religious scenes. Recently, the art form changed again with the development of a three-dimensional approach in 1983 by Kurt Wenner.

Saito began trying his hand at 3-D in 2006. Since then, he has taught both Nannucci and Geovane Furman the style as well.

"Even though replicas like the Mona Lisa receive more money from the crowd, the 3-D scenes are good for photo and website," Saitos aid.

Usually all four artists work together to create a 3-D scene.

One evening in July 2008, like many others in summertime, Furman was the one to start creating the masterpiece. As he began the process of outlining what would become a 3-D swimming pool, the three other artists joined him, bringing wine and energy to share. Saito was the first to arrive. Nannucci arrove next. Scobino, last. The atmosphere became happier and lighter as the artists painted, creating their representation of life.

The Death of Art

By the end of the day, thousands of people had passed. The artists encourage the crowd to interact with the 3-D art and love talking with an interested crowd, but it all must come to an end. Like most romantic fairytales, this one ends at midnight when the street is washed of all the color that made it come alive.

However, with art from the past living on all around Florence, the death of such new art is startling.

"It's amazing. It's beautiful. I can't believe they wash this off every day. That's sad," said Mieke Barry and Irette Snyders, both from South Africa, when they saw the art.

Nannucci disagrees.

"It is sad the first couple of days, but then you remember what you are doing. There is an important message," she said.

There are not many people who stop long enough to realize that message. Many people passing by look and see a picture on the ground, but those who stop for a while experience the life that is present in the art and see the deeper meaning behind it.

"Every person is a little artist," Scobino said. "The most difficult art is the art of life."