“For an artist, nothing is more alluring than an invitation to Italy, and Rome in particular,” Pepi Marchetti Franchi, founding director of Gagosian Rome, told me. And she’s right. For centuries, the Eternal City has captured people’s imaginations with its gladiator legends, travertine temples, baroque palaces, iconic domes, and unforgettable rows of umbrella pines. Rome was and remains a dream destination on the Grand Tour. But with more than 25,000 years of history visible at every turn, the city can also feel weighed down by its past. And despite its charm, the adjective “modern” has rarely been associated with Caputo Mundi. But now that has changed.
Rome is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in contemporary art. Over the past two decades, the city has seen a rise in international galleries and new museums opening in ancient and historic spaces, as well as a growing number of interdisciplinary foundations and artist-run venues. It’s the connection between old and new that has always attracted the contemporary art world to Rome, but it’s not always easy to find it.
If anything, Rome’s contemporary art scene is a solar system made up of roughly five constellations: the staple institutions (the trusted spaces that anchor the scene), the museums and archaeological sites, the academies and foundations, and artist-run spaces.
“The 48 Hours of Kwik & Kwak” by Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys for Studioli. Courtesy of Studioli.
The stubborn ones
MAXXI: Designed by award-winning architect Zaha Hadid, MAXXI is Rome’s contemporary art centre, showcasing collections of modern art and architecture, and offering blockbuster exhibitions, education programmes and public events.
Galeria Lorcan O’Neill: When Lorcan O’Neill opened his eponymous gallery in 2003, he pioneered a new generation of contemporary spaces, establishing his home as a leading destination for internationally renowned artists (including Tracey Emin, Anselm Kiefer and Martin Creed) as well as emerging artists.
Gagosian Rome: Opened in 2007, Gagosian is a key player in the contemporary art scene. Housed in a 1920s building designed by Firouz Garde, Gagosian has presented innovative exhibitions by renowned artists such as Giuseppe Penone, Cy Twombly and Damien Hirst. As a contemporary art connector, Gagosian supports the international art community.
La Galleria Nazionale: with its beautiful neoclassical pavilion, this century-old museum was founded to showcase contemporary Italian art, and has grown to include works by top international artists. In 2016, thanks to the previous director Crisanna Collu, the reliable chronological exhibition was revamped, and the exhibition in its hallowed halls is now non-chronological, creating a fascinating dialogue between the different artistic eras.
Rome, Italy. Palazzo Barberini. 17th century. Houses the National Gallery of Ancient Art. (Photo: PHAS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Museums and archaeological sites
Rome is best known for its archaeological sites and Baroque museums, but there are also several institutions that highlight Rome’s commitment to the contemporary artistic dialogue. In addition to MAXXI and La Galleria Nazionale, the city is home to several notable contemporary art museums showcasing a wide range of contemporary expressions. The artist-run MACRO (Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome) is housed in a former Peroni brewery building, with a cube-shaped interior design by architect Odile Decq. Other worth-visiting attractions include the niche Museo Carlo Bilotti and Palazzo Merulana.
“The heritage is not frozen in time, but the contemporary world of another era,” Marchetti Franci says. “It’s amazing to see how these ‘ancient’ spaces have engaged with contemporary art in recent years.”
A view of French-American artist Louise Bourgeois’ exhibition “Memory of the Unconscious” during preview at the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy, on June 20, 2024. (Photo by Roberto Serra – Iguana Press/Getty Images)
Just as artists are drawn to history, Rome’s contemporary art scene also embraces the past. Its historic and grandiose spaces, ancient baths, markets and temples are no longer just backdrops but part of the setting for contemporary art exhibitions, from Arte Povera artist Giuseppe Penone’s monumental works in the Baths of Caracalla, to Ai Weiwei and Elisabetta Benassi’s works in the Baths of Diocletian.
Museum spaces like the Galleria Borghese, a mecca for the Renaissance and Baroque, are also shifting their programming to contemporary art: its current Louise Bourgeois exhibition, the museum’s first dedicated to a female contemporary artist, has garnered critical acclaim, while the Barberini Museum showcases work from the renowned Lebanon-based Aishti Foundation, led by collectors Tony and Elham Salameh.
Overall view of Louise Bourgeois’ “Memory of the Unconscious” during the exhibition preview at the Borghese Gallery in Rome, Italy, June 20, 2024. Photo: Roberto Serra – Iguana Press/Getty Images
Academies and Foundations
Rome, the capital, is in the unique position of being home to much more than just national and international galleries. It has a community of state-funded academies that foster artistic creation and research through robust residency programs. Some of these academies are centuries old, the most famous being Villa Medici, home to the French Academy in Rome. Others are as historic as the British School and the American Academy, while others are only a few decades old. Many were founded on the classics, but in recent years, under the direction of cutting-edge directors, these academies have incorporated contemporary art into their programs, from open studies to site-specific exhibitions.
“Rome is experiencing a renaissance in terms of contemporary art,” comments independent art expert Corinna Turati. “More and more international galleries, foundations and [and cultural centers] We’re opening in Rome.”
Foundations like Forof, the foundation founded by Giovanna Caruso Fendi, is based in the ancient Basilica of Ulpia and aims to dialogue with archaeology. Giovanna is the daughter of Alda Fendi, one of the five Fendi sisters in the fashion world. Alda herself is an integral part of the Roman contemporary art scene through the Sperimenti Fondazione Aldi Fendi, a multidisciplinary art foundation now housed in the Rhinoceros space. Forof offers contemporary artists an experimental environment.
Italian businesswoman Giovanna Caruso Fendi attends the launch of the FOROF Center for Archaeology, Contemporary and Experimental Art at Palazzo Gallo di Roccagiovine in Rome, Italy, January 27, 2022. Photo by Roberto Serra – Iguana Press/Getty Images
Others, such as Fondazione Pastificio Cerere (a former pasta factory) and Fondazione Giuliani, are redefining contexts and places, staging innovative shows further out in the city centre.
Artist’s Space
Artist-run spaces go under the radar: hard to find and often appointment-only, spaces like Studioli, Sic12 and Supernova play a vital role in the city’s contemporary art scene, fostering creativity and innovation outside the confines of the traditional gallery system.
“These are independent venues and studio spaces that provide a platform for experimentation and collaboration that is essential for the grassroots art community,” explains Shara Wasserman, art historian and curatorial director of the Gallery of Art at Temple University Rome. In September 2024, the gallery will move to a new location just off the Piazza di Spagna and develop a curated program focused on shows by international artists, Italian designers, and students.
Studioli, Thomas Hutton. Courtesy of Studioli, Rome.
gallery
Rome had a major turning point in the early 2000s, when galleries like Lorcan O’Neill and, a little later, Gavin Brown’s Roma Roma and Gagosian opened. Brown closed Roma Roma but opened Sant’Andrea de’ Scaffis, an evocative art space in a deconsecrated 9th-century church, a few years later, and a flurry of galleries followed.
“All roads lead to Rome, and people always come to Rome,” says Isabella Tucci, deputy gallery director at Spazio Amanita. “When you look around and start engaging with the academy, the artists and the galleries, you can see that something is really happening.”
Tucci cites Baleno International, with its bold and always-stimulating programming, as a favourite spot, as well as Tim Van Laere Gallery and Hermes Hermes Gallery, which are “reigniting the historic centre circuit”. Wasserman and Turati cite Z20 Sara Zanin, Richard Salton and Galleria Continua, the pioneering San Gimignano gallery that opened a branch inside the St. Regis Hotel in 2020, as recent favourites.
Gagosian Rome. Courtesy of Gagosian
If you’re looking for something a little quirky and off the beaten path, the recently opened Fondazione Iris is a great option. Located in Bassano in Teverino (about an hour north of Rome), Iris is a rural version of Amanita and has a stunning backdrop: the restored 17th-century palazzo was Cy Twombly’s studio from 1975 to 2008. The artist’s grandson, Caio, is one of Amanita’s founders.
“Contemporary Rome is in a more experimental context, and across the whole metropolis,” Marchetti Franchi says. “Artists want to be here.” The time is now.
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