THE Italian luxury house of Fendi is known for history-making proclivity as one recalls its unforgettable fashion show held at the Great Wall of China in 2007. This was followed a decade later in 2016 when its first Haute Fourrure showcase was unveiled on a see-through runway constructed over Rome’s gleaming Trevi Fountain, whose restoration was financed by the fashion powerhouse.  

The last few decades have been witness to Fendi’s journey of exploring and etching out a profound brand expression. We have seen it delve into the world of art and design, and forge intimate collaborations with numerous artists and designers. The results, whether in the form of a store window display, a limited-edition leather bag or a piece of furniture, have revealed wondrous and limitless creativity for the brand.

 After its benevolent gesture of restoring Trevi Fountain and five other fountains in Rome, Fendi shows its commitment to promote culture with another major donation. Creating another first in its birthplace in the Eternal City, it has commissioned a significant contemporary artwork to be installed permanently in Rome’s public space, just a stone’s throw from historical landmarks like Piazza di Spagna and Via Condotti.

The site-specific artwork, titled Foglie di Pietra, is an eye-catching sculpture by Italian artist Giuseppe Penone. It will be installed in Largo Goldoni in Rome, opposite Palazzo Fendi in the Spring of 2017, following the solo exhibition of Penone, Matrice, at Fendi’s Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana headquarters in Rome slated to be held from Jan 27 to July 16, 2017. This project not just affirms Fendi’s own legacy being founded 90 years ago in Rome, but it also celebrates the Italian city’s panoramic past and future.

 “We are extremely proud to donate this wonderful and incredible art piece by Giuseppe Penone to the city of Rome, its citizens and the million tourists who come visit the Eternal City every day. Foglie di Pietra embodies once again how much tied we are with this city and the importance it carries in the history of Fendi. Penone is an Italian artist of international fame with whom we share the passion for creation, sublime savoir-faire and continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation, core values of Fendi,” says Pietro Beccari, chairman and chief executive officer of Fendi.

Foglie di Pietra (Leaves of Stone, 2016) assumes the form of two bronze trees of 18m and 9m respectively with intertwining branches, lifting up at 5m high an 11-tonne sculpted marble block. A representation of archaeology and ruins, history and biology being grafted onto one another to create a permanent bond between nature and culture, the art piece is an ode to the romance and nostalgia for lost civilisations.

The different historical periods of the Italian capital city are evoked through the artwork’s use of precious materials like bronze and marble that harks back to the marvellous illusionism of Baroque Rome, while the fragmented element of the branches recounts the Classical era and Medieval era. From its link to the past, Foglie di Pietra reaches out to the present and future of Rome with an identity that will surely morph into one that’s symbolic of an evolving city whose historical roots never fade. Installed in Largo Goldoni, a rich conversation emerges where nature meets culture, and history meets present day.