Art Nouveau Week Launches Across Europe

The International Art Nouveau Week, a global event dedicated to promoting and preserving Art Nouveau works, launched across Europe this week. Art Nouveau was a compelling and energetic art style from the early 1890s to the First World War. These artists, inspired by plant forms and nature, took organic subjects and flattened and abstracted them into sophisticated, sinuous, and flowing motifs. Despite having only lasted a few decades, the movement impacted the paths of art and design, entangling the two forever.

The Italia Liberty Association spearheaded the festival and garnered participation from over 230 cities. L’Aquila is a prominent host city for the third year in a row. The festival’s curator, Andrea Speziali, spent sixteen years researching Art Nouveau and collected over 14,000 architectural sites. The event presents guided walks, tastings, conferences, and online events aimed at stimulating interpretations of contemporary art and showcasing Italy’s historical, artistic, archaeological, culinary, and scenic heritage. The festival’s comprehensive program ensures the commemoration and preservation of this remarkable art movement, reinforcing its continued relevance and cultural significance.

Tannis Norton