Siena, Laura Brocchi's elegant unpublished works on display at the Palazzo Pubblico

Running from Aug. 31 to Sept. 30, 2018, at the Sala delle Lupe in Siena’s Palazzo Pubblico is Elements and tradition, a solo exhibition by Laura Brocchi (Siena, 1970), which showcases some elegant new works. The artist, who signed the July 2017 Palio banner, presents works that are inspired by the four elements and combine contemporary forms with the tradition of great Sienese craftsmanship. In fact, the works have been made with materials typical of the Sienese territory, such as stone and briar wood, and have been combined with metals such as iron and copper, which have always characterized the city’s craft tradition. This particular “mix” is enriched by plexiglass and contemporary materials.

In addition to new works, the exhibition also displays some of the works that Laura Brocchi has made for her city, such as the five Masgalani (i.e., the works that are awarded each year to the contrada of Siena that has the best presence in the historical parade: Brocchi made five between 1997 and 2014), and sculptures related to the traditions of Siena. Still, the exhibition displays work from the family workshop where Laura was trained, one of the many craft workshops that enrich the city: in particular, the Bottega Brocchi, opened in 1815 (and active without interruption since then), is a very rare example in Italy of a 19th-century craft workshop with a wealth of period tools still in working order. The workshop’s activity was that of boilermakers, that is, craftsmen dedicated to the working of sheet copper, which was joined in the twentieth century by that of wrought iron. Over the course of two centuries in the Brocchi Workshop, armor and white weapons for the Palio’s historical procession, jockeys’ zucchinis, and the plates and lances of the Palio itself, of which the Brocchi’s are suppliers to the City of Siena, have been produced and continue to be produced, in addition to artistic furnishings. Precise news about the Bottega comes from Giuseppe Brocchi, born in 1877, who passed on his experience to his sons Osvaldo and Gualtiero, who in turn passed it on to the latter’s son, Mario, who was skilled in both copper and iron working. Today the activity of the Bottega is carried on by Mario’s children, namely Alessandro forges wrought iron, and Laura herself, who specializes in the embossing technique.

Laura Brocchi was born in Siena in 1970, and began attending the old family workshop from an early age. After finishing her studies, she worked for a few years as a draftsman at a graphic design studio, furthered her training as a painter and then continued the family tradition, using the techniques of embossing and forging. At the same time she paints on different media and particularly on silk. Whether she uses metals such as copper, iron, and silver or works with silk, her works are somewhere between art and craft. He has created numerous signature works for private individuals, institutions and associations in Siena and nationally, and in particular for the Contrade of Siena, for some of which he has conceived, designed sketches and made accessories for mounts and painted flags, banners and drums. After creating five masgalani, from which her deep love for Siena and its ancient traditions emerges, in 2017 she painted the banner of the Palio di Provenzano.

Pictured are three works by Laura Brocchi: Burning steel light, Gea’s Horse light and Marianna’s Spirit light.

Siena, Laura Brocchi's elegant unpublished works on display at the Palazzo Pubblico

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