David Cass’ project Perimetri Perduti explores the events before, during & after the 1966 flood of Florence

David Cass’ artworks are often concerned with examples of climatic extremes. This series discusses the legacy of one of Europe’s most defining twentieth century environmental events. The project has been presented in the Lanfredini Palace, Florence; SACI, Florence; the Italian Cultural Institute, Edinburgh; and the Fruitmarket Bookshop, Edinburgh. Works from the series have also been exhibited in Bankside Gallery and The Scottish Gallery. The project is accompanied by a book, featuring artworks by Cass alongside texts from invited authors with a connection to Florence.

After a prolonged period of intense rain during the first days of November 1966, two Valdarno dams burst south of Florence. During the early hours of 4th November an enormous weight of water was propelled at great speed towards Florence. The Arno river burst its banks, filling every nook and crevice of the city. Mud, oil, fuel and contaminated water spread and rose – to 22 feet (6.7 m) in Santa Croce – covering almost 7000 acres. By the evening of the very same day the waters began to recede, leaving behind some 600,000 tons of mud and debris – a ton of mud for each inhabitant – and utter devastation. The legacy of the flood lives on today.

Cass first visited Florence in late 2010, on a Royal Scottish Academy scholarship. He has returned regularly since then and his artistic response to the city has gradually evolved. Inspired by artist James Hogg's letters written from Florence during November 1966 (published by SACI) his Florence flood artworks are responses to the history of this catastrophic and globally significant weather event.

The project links a past event with the present: describing the contemporary significance of the flood. Florence – an artist’s mecca – brought to its knees, made vulnerable. Vulnerable to extremes in weather, but also as a result of man. The artworks included in the project present an irony too, describing a stark contrast between the perceived image of the city – pristine and thriving – while demonstrating the reality of its susceptibility. The damage one event wreaked. Items and artefacts damaged in the flood are still under restoration today, in institutions around the world; yet, little has been done to safeguard the city from a similar event in the future.