From cow-farm to cultural centre
In the 1930s-made EUR district, specifically in what was the countryside and is now the liminal space between the urban and the rural, an old cow farm has been transformed into a thriving and inclusive cultural space. After ten years and an investment of over 3 million euros, La Vaccheria (literally meaning ‘cow farm’) opens its doors to the public. The site hosts ruins recovered in the excavation area south of Rome, along with cycles of contemporary art exhibitions. In addition to the exhibition space, the centre also has dining areas, a bookshop, a conference room, offices and art laboratories.
For anyone who visits the Vaccheria, it will not be hard to imagine its days as a farmhouse and the numerous cows that dwelt in it. Indeed, the site is huge, with an area of almost 1,800 square meters, extremely high ceilings, still adorned with the historical wooden beams, and upon entry you don’t see the end of the large corridor in which the various art pieces are displayed.
If you are in Rome for more than a few days you might want to give this historical farmhouse a chance, but the invite goes mostly to those staying in or visiting EUR, as this new site adds particular freshness and vitality to the neighbourhood whist also maintaining the Roman tradition of keeping the past in the present.
INSPIRATION
A guide to Rome’s Eur District
A pop opening with Andy Warhol
The current exhibition, lasting until the 31st of January 2023 is free and is entitled “Flesh: Warhol & the Cow: le opere di Andy Warhol alla Vaccheria”. It has been curated by Giuliano Gasparotti and Francesco Mazzei and it gives an overview of the popular American artist’s life work with 80 of his pieces displayed, ranging from Cows, to the world-known Campbell Jars, to album covers and magazines, to a wonderful portrait of Liza Minelli, choreographing the show in the middle of the site, to, finally, an almost hidden, yet unmissable Marylin Monroe, inviting you to gaze at her in an intimate, curtain wrapped, room.
‘Sacred or Profane…?’, a local art exhibit
Before Warhol, visitors are made to walk through an intriguing, miscellaneous exhibition, which asks ‘Sacro or Profano…?’ (Sacred or profane…?). This is made up of a variety of pieces by 16 local artists, some professional and some amateur, whose works testify to their strong connection to the area, the city and its history. These works comprise paintings as well as drawings and demonstrate the diverse technical skills of the artists involved, besides their unique perspectives, ideas and moods. The contrast between this local, roman, art and the global outlooks of Warhol, as well as the ways in which they are arranged – with visitors entering Rome, first, and the world, after – works particularly well, gently leading the curious beyond national boundaries.
Current exhibitions on until January 31th, 2023
Address:
Via Giovanni l’Eltore, 35 (EUR)
Opening times
Tue – Fri 9am-1pm | Sat – Sun 9am-7pm
Free Entrance
