September in Rome is the month when the last few highlights of the Estate Romana summer festival take place and the autumn programmes take off.
The highlight this month will undoubtedly be the Notte Bianca, a weekend-long cultural event with a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Artwise, make sure you catch shows dedicated to the perfumes of Aphrodite , the architectural creations of Santiago Calatrava, Eros at the Colosseum and symbolist masterpieces at the GNAM museum before they close. Also worth a visit are "Vedovamazzei. Raphael The Western", the second of the "Dieci Grandi Mostre", and "Roma. The Road to Contemporary Art", Rome’s contemporary art fair. The exhibition of oneiric photo stills by Matthew Barney is of great impact, as are the technological installations on display at the MAXXI.
On to music!
The first events to point out are "Flamenco!", the "Roma Hip Hop Parade" and the atmospheric concerts of the Notte Bianca featuring Modena City Ramblers, Franco Battiato, Lucio Dalla and Zero Assoluto. Also worthy of note are live concerts by the phenomenal Giovanni Allevi and talented old-timer David Sylvian.
Classical music fans can choose between the marvellous "Opere sotto le stelle", the festival dedicated to the genius of Beethoven, and a soirée in the presence of Uto Ughi.
In theatre-land, now is your chance to catch the final shows at outdoor venues such as The Globe Theatre and Quercia del Tasso, as well as the first performances of the new season (the Sistina, for instance, is putting on Peter Pan), above all, make sure you experience the enchanting performances of "Metamorfosi" and the sub-Saharan energy of the "Africa Festival".
Last but not least, check out "Romapoesia", an exciting event dedicated to the spoken word, and the historic marathon "CorriRoma".
Exhibitions web - top
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Musei Capitolini - Palazzo Caffarelli. Piazza del Campidoglio. Info 0682059127
Until 2 Sep: I PROFUMI DI AFRODITE E IL SEGRETO DELL'OLIO. SCOPERTE ARCHEOLOGICHE A CIPRO (APHRODITES' PERFUMES AND THE SECRET OF ESSENTIAL OIL. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN CYPRUS)
The Capitoline Museums host this unexpected and interactive exhibition that tells the story of Pyrgos, a Cypriot village destroyed by an earthquake in 1850 BC. This natural disaster also destroyed the village's main activity, which was the production of perfumes and cosmetic products. The perfume factory was discovered and digs were carried out that unearthed all the materials it contained: amphorae, funnels, jugs, pyxes, incense burners, braziers, mixers, pestles, as well as items of rare beauty such as the Snake Jug, the perfume bottles and the alembic stills for the distilling of essences. Tue-sun h9-20. Entrance to museum + exhibition: €8, reduced €6; exhibition only: €4,50, reduced €2,50
Scuderie del Quirinale, via XXIV Maggio, 16. Info 0639967500
Until 2 Sep: Santiago Calatrava. Dalle forme all'architettura (Santiago Calatrava. From the shapes to the architecture)
Santiago Calatrava is both a great architect and a refined artist who is skilled at both the engineering side of his projects and the creative one (the plasticity of his designs are renowned). His multi-faceted work is always founded on three axes: drawing, architecture and sculpture. A series of sculptures made from material ranging from granite and silver to Carrara marble and ebony are displayed and highlight the concepts of movement and flow. This Spanish architect is enamoured with the renaissance and one can tell; his projects have a high artistic undertow and value.
Colosseo, piazza del Colosseo. Info 060606
Until 16 Sep: Eros
This major exhibition looks at one of the most important divinities in Greek mythology. Even though shrouded in fog and lacking a rich narrative Eros is the force that sweeps and overwhelms us, as Sappho would say, and to whom even the Gods succumb. This is about sex experienced freely, quite simply it is the energy that gives value and meaning to pederast relations and weddings, which constitute real institutions and fundamental social dynamics, as well as the necessary elements for the balanced development and cultural training of every individual. Eros is everywhere, permeating every aspect of existence… Let’s get to know him better. h8,30-19
GNAM Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, viale delle Belle Arti, 131. Info 06322981
Until 16 Sep: Il Simbolismo. Da Moreau a Gauguin a Klimt (Symbolism. From Moreau to Gauguin to Klimt)
This exhibition offers a chronological overview of Symbolism and its refined appeal, style and interpretation of what is real. The first section shows the first signs of life and activities of the movement through the work of Bocklin, Puvis de Chavannes, Rops and Moreau. The second section focuses on the more mature phase of the Symbolist movement as represented by Gauguin, Khnopff and Klinger. The final section is dedicated to the painters who worked in the period that lasted up until World War I, namely Klimt, List, Hodler and Moser.
Musei di Roma. Info 060606
Until 20 Sep: Musei d'Estate. Quando l'Arte diventa spettacolo (Museums in the summer. When art becomes performance)
The capital's museums and cultural spaces have prepared a wonderful programme of evening and night-time performances to last the duration of the 30th edition of the Estate Romana (Rome Summer Festival). You can expect theatre, literature (poetry in particular), installations, classical concerts, and lots of art in all its varied and glorious forms. A few examples of what's on: a revisitation of "Iliade, l'aspra contesa" at the Basilica Ulpia in Trajan's Forum, "Passaggi Segreti" at the Fora of Augustus and Trajan, the "A memoria" readings performed by Massimo Wertmuller, and the guided night-time tours of Rome's underground monuments. "Musei d'Estate (Museums in the Summer)": an outdoor space for culture.
Galleria Borghese - Uccelliera, piazzale S. Borghese, 5. Info 0632810
Until 10 Oct: Vedovamazzei. Raphael The Western
This show is part of the Dieci Grandi Mostre (Ten major exhibitions) project inaugurated in 2006. The joint talents of Maristella Scala and Simeone Crispino bring together drawings, neon and ceramics. This exhibition – dedicated to the great artist Raphael and conceptually aligned with the previous one – finds its meaning and direction in the idea of patronage as the Cardinal Scipione Borghese understood it, that is to say, the profound desire to possess the art of one’s own time. The works on display represent the storyboard of a hypothetical film in which a group of white men travel to the West. Tue-sun h9-19. €10,50
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Musei Capitolini - Palazzo Caffarelli. Piazza del Campidoglio. Info 0667102475; 0667104696; 0667103069
Until 2 Sep: Visite multisensoriali alla mostra "I PROFUMI DI AFRODITE E IL SEGRETO DELL'OLIO. SCOPERTE ARCHEOLOGICHE A CIPRO" (Multi-sensory tour of "The perfumes of Aphrodite and the secret of oil. Archaeological discoveries in Cyprus")
If you are blind or partially-sighted there is an interactive tour of this exhibition dedicated to perfumes and essences in the Bronze Age. You will be encouraged to smell seeds, dried flowers, fragrances and four perfumes called Hera, Athena, Artemis and Aphrodite. Afterwards visitors will be invited to touch and feel various items used in perfume factories that have been faithfully reproduced for the occasion.
GNAM Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Sala Dossier. Viale delle Belle Arti, 131. Info 0632298221
Until 2 Sep: Goffredo Parise e gli altri (Goffredo Parise and the artists)
Goffredo Parise undoubtedly finds the moniker of critic to be limiting. He is actually a highly original writer with a very refined critical style and acumen that he has applied to analysing the work of contemporary artists, bringing to light pieces that we may otherwise never have been aware of... With his absolutely visual approach, painting and writing merge, losing any sense of reciprocal separation. Parisi's examination of the works is not limited to the piece itself but also takes on board the personality and physiognomy of the artist... This exhibition hosted at the city's Modern Art Museum (GNAM) explores art that is free of conceptual standards and includes the likes of Balla, De Pisis, Guttuso and Schifano. There's also a section that includes various portraits of the artist by the likes of Fioroni, Ceroli and Schifano. Tue-sun h8,30-19,30. €9, reduced €7
Museo di Roma in Trastevere, piazza S. Egidio, 1b. Info 0682059127
Until 9 Sep: Broken Landscape
Paolo Pellegrin's photos are charged with humanity and on display at the Museo di Roma. They depict poverty, people fleeing their own land, and the quest for salvation. These are the stories of ordinary people (as society would have it) and 'greats' like Yasser Arafat. The photographer is not just willing to document or report; his photos have a political value and edge, they take sides, they look at humanity and caress it with a knowingly artistic touch. Tue-sun h10-20. €5,50, reduced €4
Musei Capitolini - Sala degli Oriazi e Curiazi. Piazza del Campidoglio, 1. Info 0682059127
Until 16 Sep: Un cavallo di bronzo per più cavalieri. La scoperta di un originale greco a Roma (A bronze horse for several riders. The discovery of an original Greek sculpture in Rome)
The Horse of Vicolo delle Palme is a beautiful, historic and imposing Greek sculpture dating from the 5th century that has recently been restored. In the Orazi and Curiazi hall (where the horse is displayed) the frescoes of the Arpino Cavaliere and a series of photographs by Marco Delogu of horse heads can also be seen. The visit to the bronze horse is included in the museum entrance ticket: €6,50, reduced €4,50
Museo Carlo Bilotti - Aranciera di Villa Borghese, viale Fiorello La Guardia. Info 0682059127
Until 16 Sep: Alessandro Poma (1874 - 1960). Pittore a Villa Borghese
The exhibition dedicated to Alessandro Poma is divided into the following sections: Portraits, Rome and the Roman countryside, Villa Borghese, Piano di Sorrento, Butterflies, and Trees and Mountains. The artist started out his career in the northern region of Piedmont but later went to Rome, where he started moving in the same circles as Giulio Aristide Sartorio. Poma painted landscapes above all, many inspired by the Villa Borghese park, which he was fascinated by, but also scenes of animals such as swans, butterflies and grazing cattle. After several shows in Rome, Turin and Venice, in 1910 Poma opted for total solitude, considering it the best condition in which to express his creative talent. Tue-sun h9-19. €4,50, reduced €2,50
Various venues. Info 060606
From 13 to 17 Sep: Roma. The Road to Contemporary Art (Rome. The Road to Contemporary Art)
The first contemporary art fair in Rome. The art of our time is not displayed in huge anonymous fair-like spaces - as is normally the case - but in historic and architecturally significant venues. Palazzo Venezia, Palazzo Rospigliosi, Complesso di Santo Spirito in Sassia and the Baths of Diocletian are the quintessentially Roman sites that will house the contemporary art for this event. "The Road to Contemporary Art" is about technology, archaeology, innovation.
Complesso del Vittoriano, Salone delle Mostre Temporanee. Via di San Pietro in Carcere. Info 066780664
Until 23 Sep: Alberto Sughi
A poet who captured moments made out of nothing, personalities who weren't really personalities, everything that belongs - or rather belonged to - the concept of the non-poetic, of the anonymous. Alberto Sughi was born in 1928 in Cesenatico and is still alive: his artistic voice was located some place in the wartime debate between abstract and figurative art. His paintbrush looks for - and located - the protagonists and scenarios of what would later be known as existential realism. Sughi turned previous concepts squarely on their heads, he used art for introspective purposes; he told us about "Uomini al bar (men at the bar)" and "Ragazze al caffè (girls in a café)". This self-taught artist cannot be confined to the cubism nor realism movements, he loved cinema and cinematic subjects, and the major talents of the big screen loved him: Monicelli, for instance, was inspired by him when making "Un borghese piccolo piccolo". h9,30-19,30. Admission free
Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo, Lungotevere Castello, 50. Info 066795564
Until 23 Sep: Il trionfo dell'idiozia. Pregiudizi, follie e banalità dell'esistenza europea (The triumph of idiocy. The prejudice, folly and banality of European existence)
The work of Goya, Daumier and Grosz explores the artistic merits of satire. And as a result we discover how modern these artists were and how current what they have to say is today. No one is exempt from their scathing: politicians, the church, European society figures. Idiocy - if this is the right word - prevails... Tue-sun h9-19. €7, reduced €4,50
Museo di Roma in Trastevere, piazza S. Egidio, 1b. Info 0682059127
Until 30 Sep: Abu Ghraib. Abuso di potere. Opere su carta di Susan Crile
Susan Crile's canvases say a lot more than the myriad words and explanations expounded about the torture inflicted by US soldiers on Iraqi prisoners. The artist is faithful to the reportage style of the photos that made their way around the world. But then she subverts it. Crile begins with simple representation but then reaches incredible heights by managing to confer humanity on episodes that are devoid of humanity; episodes that are beastly and mind-boggling. Delicately drawn white chalk marks bring to life the intimate and personal pain of the hell that was Abu Ghraib. Tue-sun h10-20. Museum + exhibition: €5,50, reduced €4
MACRO - Sale Panorama. Via Reggio Emilia, 54. Info 06671070400
Until 30 Sep: Nothing for nothing
Artist Paolo Canevari divides his time between Rome and New York and this show of his work centres on politics and the environment. All the pieces are diverse, ranging from drawings on massive pieces of paper to a sculptural installation and video-screenings, but all have the same concept at their base and use materials that aren’t conventionally thought of as “artistic”. Canevari has his own individual artistic language, acquiring inspiration from people and their thoughts. Tue-sun h9-19. €1
MACRO Future, piazza O. Giustiniani, 4. Info 065742647
Until 30 Sep: Into Me/ Out of Me
Klaus Biesenbach is the curator of this collective that explores the body – the body watched, perceived and represented in different ways… The body - as a metaphor for man and his vulnerability – is interpreted by the creative talent of 120 artists who explore the way it interacts with materials and examine its physiology, reproduction and metabolic processes… Among the works on display are some videos of Marina Abramovic focused on the attraction between men and women, and photos by Nan Goldin. Tue-sun h16-24
MACRO - Sale Macro. Via Reggio Emilia, 54. Info 06671070400
Until 6 Oct: Ghada Amer
Egyptian artist Ghada Amer uses a needle and thread in many of her creations. About 40 of her works are on show here: drawings on paper, paintings on canvas and colourful embroidered installations, all of which express eroticism and femininity and the written theories of the artist. Tue-sun h9-19. €1
GNAM Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, viale delle Belle Arti, 131. Info 0632298221
Until 7 Oct: Matthew Barney - Presiding Judge
These four stills are part of the "Collectors’ images" series and are taken from Cremaster 3, a famous film set in 30s New York that centres on the Masonic movement. The images reproduce the famous scene of the "race of the dead horses", symbolic of the eternal struggle between life and death. Barney’s dream-like, sexual language is impregnated with refined symbols and speaks to us of the anthropological developments in the real (but at the same time unreal or hyper-real) world. Admission free
Museo dell'Ara Pacis, Lungotevere in Augusta
Until 28 Oct: Valentino a Roma: 45 Years of Style (Valentino in Rome: 45 years of Style)
About 300 of the famed Roman stylist's most refined garments can now be admired by the public at large in this special show honouring Valentino's 45 years in the fashion business. The setting for this special exhibition is the new Ara Pacis museum designed by Richard Meier; an exclusive setting if there ever was one. The garments are displayed in chronological order.
Confraternita dei Bergamaschi, via di Pietra, 70. Info 0669920723
Until 31 Oct: Leonardo e l'infinito. Storia di un genio ancora da capire (Leonardo and the infinite: The story of a boundless genius)
Michele Lombardi and Lorenzo Ferraro are the curators of this exhibition dedicated to the genius from Florence, his ideas and the creativity of his mind. Working models of Leonardo's cars (like armoured tanks) are on display, as is a theatre for the representation of Politian's Orpheus, and a revolving bridge. Thorough background work and research - using Leonardo's original drawings - have created an exhibition with a multi-media section in five languages that allows visitors to discover the personal world of Leonardo's universe. Mon-thu and fri-sat h10,30-19,30; thu and sun h10,30-20,30
MAXXI - Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo, via G. Reni, 2f. Info 063210181
From 25 Sep to 18 Nov: Maxxi installazioni - Mochetti, Pistoletto, Sandison (Installations at the Maxxi - Mochetti, Pistoletto, Sandison)
Three artists with very different backgrounds and sensibilities, Mochetti, Pistoletto and Sandison are nevertheless united by their choice to create works using electrical or technological equipment. Maurizio Mochetti presents “Sfera Avional”, an installation in continuous movement conceived to depict a fluid idea of space. Michelangelo Pistoletto, one of the most emblematic artists of the Arte Povera movement, shows “Quadro di fili elettrici”: a triumph of minimalism composed of electric wires and lightbulbs. The third piece, "Collapse-Construct", is by Scotsman Charles Sandison and consists of anthropomorphised numbers organised in complex systems that generate ever-differing orders. Tue-sun h11-19
MACRO - Macro Hall. Via Reggio Emilia, 54. Info 06671070400
Until 31 Dec: Atelier Van Lieshout
This atelier has a different way of doing art. The team collaborates in synergy, merging various media such as architecture, design, sculpture and painting. Founded in the 1990s by Joep Van Lieshout, the group presents a striking and exclusive installation called "Technocrat", a massive machine that recycles organic materials. Tue-sun h9-19. €1
Orologio del Pincio, Villa Borghese. Info 060606
Until 31 Dec: Orologio del Pincio (The Pincio Clock)
The Pincio hydrochronometer was made in 1873 out of wood and cast iron. The clock was created by the brilliant Father Giovan Battista Embriaco, and after achieving great success at the National Exhibition in Paris it was brought to Rome and placed in a splendid fountain in the Villa Borghese park. The clock has been restored and is now on view.
Cortile del Tempio di Apollo in Circo, zona Circo Flaminio. Info 060606
Apertura al pubblico del Cortile del Tempio (The temple courtyard opens to the public)
This very important archaeological site, which encompasses the area between the Temple of Apollo and the Temple of Bellona, has been restored and fitted with new information points. The courtyard and portico of the building now houses ancient stones that used to be located, just like the Theatre of Marcellus, in the southern section of the so-called Circus Flaminius. The view from the terrace is particularly memorable given that it offers a glimpse of what ancient Rome used to look like.
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