Four Seasons Hotel Firenze Celebrates World Kindness Day Through Art

On World Kindness Day, Four Seasons embraces its legacy of empathy and personalized service to inspire others to lead with genuine heart. To mark this day Four Seasons Hotel Firenze has collaborated with the Municipality of Florence and Street Levels Gallery to donate a new artwork inspired by the concept of kindness to the city.

Grounded in the core belief that kindness creates a meaningful sense of belonging, the urban artist Ache77 is leading the project to turn Florence’s local Scout headquarters into a place full of beauty. Together with Gianluca Milli and Sofia Bonacchi, Ache77 is one of the founders Street Levels Gallery, the first street art gallery in Florence, a creative space aiming to explore the connections between the city and its cultural contaminations, since 2016.

The new piece of art includes some recognizable elements: the Renaissance bird, symbol of peace and grace, carrying an olive branch mirrors the imagery adorning the first floor of the Palazzo della Gherardesca, the Hotel's main building.

"This artwork demonstrates the power of kindness,” comments Deputy Mayor Alessia Bettini. "Art can be a tool against hate; its universal message goes straight to the heart."

"Many artists have already contributed to enriching the 'open-air museum' of Florence," adds the Councillor for Youth Policies Cosimo Guccione. "Our aim is to keep promoting these kinds of synergies, involving young people to re-imagine urban spaces through the power of art.”

“We look forward to unveiling a new piece of art at the Scout headquarters, enriching a public garden with new creativity. Set near the Canova Cultural Center and the Nian mural in Piazze Sansepolcro, the artwork will add light to an ever-evolving neighbourhood.”

A grand unveiling of the completed artwork will take place by the end of November, a tribute to kindness resonating through the streets of Florence.

Street Levels Gallery

Nestled in the heart of Florence's historic centre, Street Levels Gallery stands as a beacon of creative expression. Born in 2016 from the vision of a collective of artists and cultural innovators, the gallery has since matured into the premier hub for Urban Art in Florence. At its core, Street Levels Gallery is driven by the mission to delve into the intricate interplay between the streets, the public, and exhibition spaces, fostering a dialogue among artists, public institutions, private patrons, and the city's residents.

With a commitment to promoting urban art, it orchestrates a symphony of exhibitions, murals, events, workshops, and collaborations across Italy. Functioning as a vital bridge between urban culture and the social fabric, Street Levels Gallery introduces interventions that reimagine the current economic, social, cultural, and human landscape.

The gallery carefully selects artists based on the context, mediating the needs of all involved stakeholders, harnessing the evocative power of art to build a dialogue with the city and its inhabitants. Serving as a window into the international cultural scene, the gallery is a dynamic force within a continuously flourishing artistic community. It embodies a fresh, underground, and innovative cultural district characterized by robust economic and social dynamics, all while engaging in a perpetual conversation with the rich historical and artistic heritage of Florence.

Ache77

Ache77, born in Romania in 1991, is a multifaceted artist renowned for his expertise in stencil, urban, and visual art. Despite embarking on a path of secondary and university education in social sciences and managerial economics, he opted to redirect his academic journey and enrol in the University of Visual Arts and Design. Choosing a sculpture course, Ache77's motivation stemmed from a desire to explore and manipulate volumes: this aspiration arose from a childhood eye issue that had hindered his ability to perceive perspectives since the age of three.

Since 2007, Ache77 has fervently embraced stencil art as his primary medium. His creative process involves intricately carving paper and cardboard to craft normographic masks. Through the artful application of sprayed colours, he breathes life into his drawings. The resulting images are meticulously realized using one or more stencils, employing a diverse colour palette. Ache77 specializes in crafting portraits endowed with the unique ability to establish a profound connection with those who encounter them, thanks to the intensity of their gaze or posture.

His artistic repertoire is characterized by a nuanced non-verbal language and an unwavering commitment to detail. Ache77 frequently portrays female faces, capturing the essence of women with piercing gazes. The eyes, always touched in white by hand, serve as the privileged conduit through which the artist forges a meaningful connection between the viewer and the artwork.

Most often, Ache77's creations come to life directly on mural surfaces through the meticulous use of stencils. The recurring figures, while depicting consistent subjects, undergo dynamic transformations through chromatic variations. The vivid and contrasting colour levels employed evoke the aesthetic of Andy Warhol's iconic screenprints. Much like Warhol's subjects symbolized the icons of his era, Ache77's works often pay homage to the protagonists of Florence's storied past.

Ache77's work is characterized by its expressive depth and thematic richness, conveying enigmatic messages that invite interpretation from the observer. His creations serve as dynamic devices, offering stimuli to the urban viewer, enriching their daily experiences, and generating an abundance of meaning.