Understanding Rome’s cultural connections
From May 7 to August 25, Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome will host Expodemic, the second edition of the Festival of Foreign Academies and Cultural Institutes, offering to the public the opportunity to discover the history of the academies and the work of foreign artists residing in Rome.
Expodemic has been curated by Lorenzo Benedetti with the collaboration of Francesca Campana and will have as its leitmotif the untold story of the close connection between the birth and development of modern exhibitions and the history of academies. This edition has been organised by Palaexpo in collaboration with twenty one cultural institutes, indicating a great collective effort: from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma to the Accademia di Danimarca, to the Académie de France à Rome, to the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca; and also the Accademia d’Ungheria in Rome, the American Academy in Rome, the British School at Rome, the Istituto Culturale Coreano, the Real Academia de España, just to name a few.
Suggested Read: Foreign Academies And Institutes In Rome
Even now, after over 350 years since their foundations, Academies and Institutes of Culture keep enhancing their research on contemporary topics and organizing exhibitions. Expodemic, inspired by the vitality of Baroque Rome, showcases not only manuscripts and paintings by Giuseppe Ghezzi – who initiated the concept of modern exhibition – but also artworks created by artists currently in residence at foreign Academies.
Discover artists from all over the world
The works, many of them site-specific, were created by 18 artists chosen by the curators from among painters, sculptors, visual artists, poets and writers from foreign cultural institutes in Rome. The exhibition opens with a selection of posters and historical documents that tell of the intense exhibition activities of the academies and Foreign Academies and Cultural Institutes in Rome.
The exhibition is presented at the first floor of the museum: moving up through the staircase, a sound installation by Séverine Ballon, musician and composer in residence at the French Academy of Rome, guides visitors to the first floor, room 13, where the exhibition continues with Giuseppe Ghezzi’s oil portraits (including one depicting Gian Lorenzo Bernini) and original manuscripts. On the right hand side, a wide map shows the various stage of the Roman artistic network of Academies: from the first institutes to other historical milestones such as interruptions of residencies and relationships due to global political changes and conflicts.
In three expansive galleries, visitors will discover fascinating and diverse artworks spanning a diverse array of subjects: from the protection of endangered species such as the work Sum of the misdeeds and consents and cowardly acts by Turkish artists Fatma Bucak) to reflections on power inequality and colonialism (Flowers for Africa by Kapwani Kiwanga). The exhibition showcase the work of African artists and directors such as Hamedine Kane, currently in residence at the Academy of France of Rome and Zachary Fabri, a multidisciplinary artist interested on the topic of urban context and politics and black masculinity.
The Expodemic initiative originates from the Palazzo Esposizioni exhibition, spreading across the city through specially designed posters freely distributed at various partner venues. Additionally, the exhibition features a public program comprising discussions, performances, and screenings at Palazzo Esposizioni, alongside numerous exhibitions and events hosted by the Academies and Cultural Institutes themselves.
TILL 25 AUGUST 2024
Address:
Via Nazionale 194
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 8pm
Contact:
palazzoesposizioniroma.it
