Paradiso reconstructed

ENAR

British artist Tom Young and his wife were taking a stroll through Gemmayze’s back streets when he caught a whiff of the sweet scent of jasmine. As he stopped to smell the flowers, he was struck by an “absolutely beautiful” villa that stood before him. Jaded by the traditional white cube galleries in which he was exhibiting his work, he had been looking for a new space to hang his art, and he knew this building was it. From that New Year’s day five months ago, the long neglected “Villa Paradiso” was given a breath of new life due to an uncanny confluence of Young’s inspiration and a family’s vision. The classic villa dates back to the turn of the last century, though it was a dilapidated façade forgotten under the shadows of surrounding tower blocks in the heart of Gemmayze until recently. It opened its doors on May 30