Category Archives: Florence

Swan maiden

Posted on by
Reply

The swan maiden appears in the legends and folklore of many cultures. Like most stories that have evolved from their oral story telling roots, there are many similar versions of the same tale. Also, they are rife with symbolism and are often allegorical. The swan is a symbol of purity. Swan maidens can change between their two forms, swan and woman, often by using a cloak of feathers. In folk tales men steal and hide the cloaks so that he can have the woman. Not a pretty story, but then again, most fairy tales aren’t. (Of course, this may not have been what the artist was thinking!).

below: Bue2530 painted this mural in Florence of part sleeping woman and part swan (seen on a foggy day).

foggy day, looking across a road at a long mural on a concrete wall or ramp with railing above, mural is of a woman sleeping on the ground, head of woman on right hand side but head of swan on the left
mural on the wall of an overpass, man walking on sidewalk above, mural is woman sleeping on the ground with an apple in one hand

below: It looks her arm has taken on the shape of a swan. It seems to be looking at a map

part of a Bue2530 mural in Florence, a woman's arm is bent in the shape of a swan neck as she sleeps on the ground

below: Apples have been the symbol of sin and the fall of man since Eve persuaded Adam to eat one in the Garden of Eden.  But it also a symbol of knowledge as well as immortality.  It was also a poisoned apple that knocked out Snow White.

part of a larger mural, hand holding a red apple, swan feathers in the background, arm of woman has many tattoos, fingers also have tattoos
head of swan in a mural, orange beak, white feathers, a wheel by its neck

below: A broken chain. Has she just broken free?

part of a mural by Bue2530, broken links of chain under a pink cloth, end of swan's beak just showing on right side

Photos taken January 2020

altered street signs, Florence

Posted on by
2

As you walk around Florence Italy, you can spot street signs that have been altered with witty additions of shapes and figures.  Similar signs have been spotted in Madrid, London, and Paris. Most of them are the work of Clet Abraham but there are a few that were created by Yipi Yipi Yeah, or YYY for short.   Here are a few that I saw in Florence early in January.

below: A policeman’s love

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a policeman bending down and kissing the white bar

below: A goalie defending his net

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a football goalie defending his net

below: Scrunching

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a large black hand scrunching the white bar

below: Chiseling away the white bar.

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a man chiseling away the white bar

below: Only two eyes seen because of a veil

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a woman in a veil covering all but her eyes

below: A game of cat and mouse

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a mouse beside a mouse hole, with a cat in the background

below: Using a pair of scissors

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a pair of scissors cuttig the white bar

below: A hanging brought to you by Yipi Yipi Yeah

dead end sign altered by yipi yipi yeah, three holes in the red bar and a creature hanging by the neck

below: Cupid’s arrow right on target

altered blue and white one way sign, the arrow is now piercing a red heart

below: Smashing ice

altered red and white no entry sign, graffiti by Clet Abraham, of a person breaking ice with a large ice pick

exitenter in Florence

Posted on by
Reply

exitenter is a prolific graffiti artist whose art is usually centered around red hearts, love, and equality.  The pieces with their stick figures are simple and direct.

below: Reaching for love

simple graffiti of a black stick figure with white filled in, reaching up to a red heart, with the word exit written above it

below: Black equals white.  Equality

two stick figues, one with black body and the other with white body, holding hands, with a red equals sign above their hands

below: Swinging on a heart, in love.

on a blue one way street sign, a sticker with a stick figure swinging on a red heart

below: Apart and fighting, but come together in love.  Another way of saying “All you need is love”.

below: Together, hand in hand looking for love.

two stick figure people holding hands and reaching for a red heart

below: Juxtaposition of the Nativity scene with the idea of refugees.

street art paste up of a nativity scene, Mary and Joseph standing together with Mary holding the baby Jesus, under night sky with moon and stars. The word refugees is written below the picture. All contained in a grey arch shape

For more pictures and information, ExitEnter instagram page and website