At Palazzo Strozzi, DRIFT's refined dance of mechanical flowers: here's the work Shy Society

From Oct. 24, 2024 to Jan. 26, 2025, the Renaissance courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi in Florence will be transformed into a space where art, technology and nature are harmoniously intertwined thanks to the installation Shy Society, created by the Dutch duo DRIFT founded in 2007. This event is part of the Palazzo Strozzi Future Art program, produced in collaboration with the Hillary Merkus Recordati Foundation. Renowned for their visionary approach combining sculpture, performance and technological innovation, DRIFT’s founders, Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, propose a work that offers a profound reflection on the interaction between man, nature and technology.

Shy Society aims to be much more than a simple installation: in fact, it aims to take the form of an immersive experience that invites the visitor to be enveloped by a unique visual and sound choreography. The work consists of seven large elements resembling flowers, placed in the open space of Palazzo Strozzi’s courtyard. These flowers move slowly and synchronously, in a succession of openings and closings that evoke the life cycle of nature. Their dance is accompanied by music by American composer RZA (Robert Fitzgerald Diggs; 1969), also known for being the leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. His soundtrack, created especially for this installation, is a symphonic piece that envelops visitors in a contemplative and evocative atmosphere.

The choice of the courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi, a symbol of the Florentine Renaissance, as the location for this project is not accidental. The installation invites visitors to rediscover a historical space through a contemporary artistic language, creating a dialogue between past and present. The continuous movement of the sculptures recalls the idea of a perpetual metamorphosis, a state of change that involves not only the work itself, but also the public.

Nature and technology: a dialogue between opposites

The work draws inspiration from the natural phenomenon known as noctynastia, a process by which some flowers close during the night to protect themselves or conserve energy, only to reopen at dawn. This metaphor of closing and reopening becomes the beating heart of Shy Society, inviting reflection on concepts such as adaptation, protection and transformation. The technology used by DRIFT, based on advanced software that can mimic the organic and unpredictable movements of nature, contributes to making the installation not only aesthetically fascinating but also deeply evocative.

Shy Society ’s flowers move seemingly randomly, creating a continuous interplay of openings and closings that recalls natural dynamics. This synergy between nature and artifice reflects the artistic philosophy of DRIFT, who have always been careful to explore the boundary between what is natural and what is technological.

A purposeful soundtrack: the contribution of RZA

The musical component of Shy Society plays a key role in the overall experience of the installation. RZA, celebrated for his eclectic career as a music producer and composer, has created a symphonic piece that accompanies the movement of the sculptures, creating a choreography of sound and movement. The composition, entitled Good Night 1st Movement, is an integral part of the work’s choreography and blends classical musical elements with modern sounds, offering a richly evocative sound dimension.

The piece opens with delicate harp notes, interspersed with pauses that create a sense of suspension. This balance between sound and silence reflects the central theme of Shy Society, namely the alternation between openness and closure, between the visible and invisible.

An invitation to reflection

The central theme of Shy Society is the relationship between nature and technology, between control and wonder, between the visible and the invisible. DRIFT’s mechanical flowers, while governed by technology, behave like natural entities, reminding us that the line between what is artificial and what is natural is often thin. In a world increasingly dominated by technology, DRIFT’s installation invites us to reflect on how we too, like the flowers of the nictynasty, are called upon to adapt to changes in our environment.

The work thus becomes a symbol of metamorphosis, not only in the biological sense of the term, but also in a broader sense, concerning human evolution and our ability to react to the challenges of modernity. The opening and closing flowers are not only moving sculptures, but also represent the continuous cycle of life, adaptation, and resilience.

Collaboration between art and science

DRIFT is known for its ability to create works that transcend the boundaries between artistic and scientific disciplines. The duo works closely with experts from different areas: programmers, engineers, scientists, as well as musicians and visual artists. This interdisciplinary approach is fully reflected in Shy Society, which combines art, science and technology into one immersive experience.

With Shy Society, DRIFT pursues its artistic research aimed at exploring the relationship between humans and their environment, in a context that combines past and future. The courtyard of Palazzo Strozzi is transformed into a stage where visitors can immerse themselves in a multisensory experience that invites them to reflect on their role in the world and their relationship with nature.

The installation, made possible thanks to the collaboration between the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and the Hillary Merkus Recordati Foundation, represents another step forward in the artistic experimentation that characterizes the Palazzo Strozzi Future Art program, acting as a bridge between historical tradition and contemporary innovation.

At Palazzo Strozzi, DRIFT's refined dance of mechanical flowers: here's the work Shy Society

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