Mysterious, subtle, prolific street art in Florence and Pisa

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Art by K. (photo by Alex)

During my recent trip to Italy, I met up with my friend and fellow PhD student Alexandra Athanasopoulou Köpping while she was doing some research in Florence. She has been visiting archives around Europe for her work; she writes about the European Union’s engagement with the world and is politically engaged herself. In between profound conversations about life, neoliberalism, the world and academia during our long walks in Tuscany, Alex revealed to me a very good eye for little details along the way. Here’s her delightful discovery involving minimalistic street art signed simply “K.,” which can be repeatedly spotted in Florence and Pisa if you look closely. She wrote us a post and included some photos, as well, which you can see at the bottom.

Alex K.
Alex probably on a summer day

“Urban Art in Florence and Pisa”
By Alexandra Athanasopoulou Köpping, Leipzig

This post is not about how Florence and Pisa are open air museums. This post is about this anonymous artist who has filled the walls of Florence and Pisa with discreet yet really cool doodles. I first noticed these little people during my first walk in Florence. Over the course of my stay there it became obvious that the city has become the canvas of this artist who sometimes signs her work with the letter K. By the end of my trip, it had become my game to find out where the next doodle was; to such an extent that I almost got hit by one truck and one car, if it wasn’t for my friend Ana. I really like how this artist uses the walls and makes them part of her work. It’s like a dialogue between the canvas and the paint, which makes the art so much more alive. It is also incredible that such artwork was found in Florence; Florence being an art work by itself, using it as a canvas makes the artist even more audacious. I googled the street art in Florence and the only other reference that I could find for K. is in this blog.

I will stop writing so you can enjoy the art 😉

All photos (c) A. Köpping (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

A Global Studies doctoral degree holder and former newspaper reporter, avid eater, pseudo-philosopher and poet, occasion-propelled singer, semi-professional socializer, movie addict, Brazilian-American nomad. In this space, she will share some of her experiences and (mis)adventures regarding various topics, with special attention to social issues.

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