The Uffizi Gallery in Florence has launched its own TikTok account, and is sharing videos of classic artworks dancing to modern music in order to engage with a younger audience.
TikTok is a video-sharing social networking service, known for its dance and comedy videos, owned by ByteDance.
Uffizi has been busy sharing videos such as Bronzino’s dwarf (Ritratto del Nano Morgante, 1553) dancing to The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights’ (via The Art Newspaper).
Bronzino’s Medici portraits, from the 16th century, are also seen dancing to Auntie Hammy’s track ‘Pew Pew Pew’.
Bronzino’s dwarf dances to The Weeknd
@uffizigalleries The dwarf goes hunting! #boboli #uncensored
In addition, Pietro Tenerani’s winged sculpture (Psyche Abandoned, 1819) is accompanied by Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’.
Uffizi director Eike Schmidt discussed the TikTok launch with Il Messaggero newspaper, saying that “at a difficult time like this, it is important to let yourself smile”.
On the outbreak of COVID-19, Schmidt previously told Apollo magazine: “And this week we launched the Uffizi TikTok account.
“Even if we can’t currently provide face-to-face educational activities, we’ve kept on all the contractors in our education department and they’re producing online content for us – videos, games and so on – so you will see more over the next few months.”
Uffizi launched on TikTok amid COVID-19
@uffizigalleries I #coniugi Battista Sforza e Federico da Montefeltro #comedy #uffizi
Italy recently started reopening its museums as lockdown measures eased in the country, which was hit hard by coronavirus.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, which reopened with limited capacity, was providing free gadgets that notify visitors when they are not social distancing.
In a statement, the cathedral said the EGOpro Social Distancing necklace “guarantees the maximum of security and comfort during the visit”.