Autumn/Winter 2022

Alinari Reception
A celebratory send-off
On September 27, 2022, Calliope Arts gathered with
its partners and friends to celebrate the successful
conclusion of the show FOTOGRAFE! Women
photographers: Alinari Archives to Contemporary Perspectives.
Villa Bardini, one of the exhibition’s venues – together with Forte
di Belvedere – provided an evocative backdrop to the festivities,
which brought together our growing network of like-minded
individuals, committed to the art-and-culture scene in Florence
and further afield. The show, curated by Emanuela Sesti and
Walter Guadagnini, ran from June 18 to October 2, 2022. Presented
and promoted by the Alinari Foundation for Photography and the
Fondazione CR Firenze, in collaboration with the Municipality of
Florence, it saw the participation of donors Calliope Arts.
Through its grants programme, Calliope Arts funded the
creation of two exhibition sections devoted to significant
collections from the Alinari Archives: that of the sisters Wanda
Wulz (Trieste 1903-1984) and Marion Wulz (Trieste 1905-1990) and
that of Edith Arnaldi (Vienna 1884-Rome 1978). “We are especially
interested in photography by women because it is an art form
that has always been relatively accessible to women, unlike the
more traditional fine arts,” says Calliope Arts President Margie
MacKinnon, “The explosion of popularity of photography
coincided with the expansion of women’s freedom to be active
in public spheres and women’s demands for more independence
and recognition. Thus, this exhibition’s creativeness brought
dynamism, experimentation, and new techniques to the fore. We
have been delighted to see these pioneers and contemporary
women in the exhibition spotlight. It has been an enriching
partnership, which we hope will continue in the future.”
Autumn / Winter 2022 • Restoration Conversations 25