Rome’s La Vaccheria showcases 100 works celebrating artists who dared to transcend the ordinary
A year after its opening, Rome’s La Vaccheria, the exhibition space located in the Eur district, presents a new exhibition – From Futurism to Virtual Art, curated by Giuliano Gasparotti and Francesco Mazzei.
This exhibition aims to trace the evolution of art throughout the entire 20th century, ultimately reaching the present day with immersive and digital artworks. It spotlights artists who have consistently looked to the future, transcending conventional artistic boundaries – the avant-garde.
The term avant-garde originates from military terminology, signifying “troops sent ahead of the main force”. Art historians adopted it to describe movements challenging the norms of their time, questioning established artistic forms and literary traditions. Today, avant-garde is synonymous with modernity.
From Balla and Dalì to Modigliani, Magritte, Fontana, Warhol, Niki de Saint Phalle, Liechtenstein, and De Chirico, the exhibition unfolds across four thematic “capsules,” where art converges with immersive technologies, soundscapes, and unique environments.
The first capsule, Infinity, pays homage to Futurism. Inside a mirrored cube (Mirror Box), Giacomo Balla‘s Futurist Flower is surrounded by a video art piece narrating the movement’s lines, sounds, colors, and themes. Balla’s work is juxtaposed with pieces from artists who never embraced Futurism or openly opposed it, such as Alexander Calder, Carlo Levi, or Amedeo Modigliani, represented here by the Portrait of Jeanne Hébuterne.
Next is the Avantgard capsule, also reflected on the walls of the Mirror Box. Here, reflections intertwine from various 20th-century artistic currents, sparking intriguing dialogues. The capsule features works such as Alberto Burri‘s Untitled, Alighiero Boetti‘s Attracting the Attention, Victor Vasarely‘s Vega Alom, Salvator Dalì‘s Pied Piper, and Piero Manzoni‘s Merde d’artiste and Impronte, among others. Notable inclusions are Man Ray‘s Cadeau, Marcel Duchamp‘s Coffee mill da ‘du cubism’, and Robert Rauschenberg‘s Reatroactive and Sky Rite, culminating with Lucio Fontana‘s Concetto spaziale natura.
The third installation, Pop, is a garden juxtaposing nature and artifice, adorned with vivid neon lights, and inhabited by Niki de Saint Phalle‘s dancing Nanà. The surroundings feature Roy Liechtenstein‘s Cow going in abstract and Sunrise, Andy Warhol‘s Kiku and Liza Minnelli blue ground, and Joseph Beuys‘ Bus stop and Intervista alla radio sulla fine del capitalismo.
The exhibition ends with the Metaphysics capsule. Giorgio de Chirico‘s masterpieces, Piazza d’Italia and l’Arcobaleno, are displayed against the backdrop of an imaginary reconstruction of the painter’s studio. This setting beautifully recreates the dreamlike and dystopian atmospheres evoked in his paintings. An original sound design inspired by Monteverdi’s “Voce di Arianna” and a video projection enhance this captivating experience.
The exhibition, offering free admission, is organized by the Municipio IX with the support of Roma Capitale and in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura. The exhibited works are sourced from two private collections and have been gathered by the Rosini Gutman Collection, curated by Gianfranco Rosini and Elisabetta Cuchetti. Artistic production settings are curated by Kifitalia.
Until March 31th 2024
Via Giovanni L’Eltore, 35 – Eur
You can get there by foot from the Eur Castellaccio park (entry on via Severino Delogu)
Opening times: Tue – Thu 9.00 – 13.00 | Fri – Sun 9.00 – 19.00
Free admission
