Latest news with #GalleriaBorghese
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Art Review: Wangechi Mutu's Roman Debut Of Black Soil Poems At Galleria Borghese
Galleria Borghese. Wangechi Mutu. Poemi della terra nera - Installation view with Older Sisters © Galleria Borghese © Galleria Borghese Wangechi Mutu–the Kenyan-American artist internationally celebrated for her visceral, genre-defying works–exhibits in Italy for the first time with Black Soil Poems . Mutu's debut Roman exhibition is currently on view at the historic Galleria Borghese. Curated by Cloé Perrone, the exhibition unfolds like a myth unearthed in fragments—emerging from the villa's Baroque opulence, threading through its ornate interiors, ascending to its façade, and finally settling into the Secret Gardens like memory returning to land. With this site-specific intervention, Mutu reshapes not only the physical spaces of the museum but also the historical and symbolic narratives long rooted within them. Galleria Borghese. Wangechi Mutu. Poemi della terra nera - Installation view with Throned ļ © Galleria Borghese © Galleria Borghese The Historic Setting: Galleria Borghese's Legacy The Galleria Borghese–located in the heart of Rome's Villa Borghese gardens–is one of the city's most prestigious art museums. Originally built in the early 17th century by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V and a passionate art collector, the villa was designed as both a suburban retreat and a grand setting to showcase his vast collection, which included classical antiquities, Renaissance masterpieces, and Baroque works, from sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini to paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, and Titian. Much like the museum's recent homage to Baroque poet Giovan Battista Marino, Black Soil Poems continues Galleria Borghese's engagement with the poetic and the mythological. But where Marino played with the exuberance of language, Mutu mines the deeper, often darker strata of meaning. The exhibition's title points to her core themes: 'black soil' evokes fertility, richness, history, trauma, and regeneration. It is material as metaphor—a place where stories germinate, bodies are buried and reborn, and poetry takes shape through clay-like memory. Galleria Borghese. Wangechi Mutu. Poemi della terra nera - Installation view with Water Woman ļ © Galleria Borghese © Galleria Borghese A Landmark Debut: Wangechi Mutu in Rome Inside the Galleria Borghese, Mutu's interventions are elegant yet subversive. She neither displaces nor overwhelms the Borghese's famed collection of classical art. Instead, her works float, dangle and shimmer playfully—acting as whispers rather than proclamations. Sculptures such as Ndege , Suspended Playtime , and First Weeping Head are suspended delicately from the villa's ceilings, lightly interrupting the visual flow of the museum without obscuring it. These hanging pieces resist the pull of gravity and tradition alike. Their placement introduces a spatial reorientation: rather than gazing at static monuments of Western art history, visitors are urged to look up, around, within — to question what they see and what they don't. This act of suspension, both literal and conceptual, is one of the exhibition's most resonant talking points. Mutu's powerful art destabilizes permanence and power. Bronze, often used to convey heroism and stability, is in Mutu's hands reimagined as porous and ancestral—a medium that can hold memory rather than impose legacy. By incorporating organic materials like wood, feathers, soil, and wax, Mutu draws attention to fragility, fluidity, and metamorphosis. Galleria Borghese. Wangechi Mutu. Poemi della terra nera - Installation view with Underground Hornship | © Galleria Borghese © Galleria Borghese Poetry in the Soil: Thematic Roots of the Exhibition Mutu's enigmatic works do not mimic or mock classical aesthetics but create a contemporary counterpoint. They occupy liminal spaces—providing a bridge between tradition and reinvention, presence and absence. The museum becomes a palimpsest, with Mutu's sculptures as annotations in a language of ghosts and futures. She encourages viewers not just to look at what is visible, but to listen for what has been erased, silenced, or rendered invisible by centuries of patriarchal, colonial narratives. The exhibition's thematic richness carries seamlessly into the villa's façade and throughout the gardens. Mutu plants her bronze figures in the gardens like sentinels from another world. The Seated I and The Seated IV –first presented by Mutu in New York City in 2019 for The Met's Façade Commission–reappear at Galleria Borghese with renewed force. Part woman, part monument, part oracle, Mutu's statues reclaim the historically male-coded trope of the caryatid. They bear the weight not of buildings, but of histories and the potential for radical futures. Gardens as Portals: The Outdoor Installations Elsewhere in the gardens, seminal pieces including Nyoka , Heads in a Basket , Musa , and Water Woman continue Mutu's excavation of archetypal vessels—forms that hold water, spirit, memory. They are elemental and enigmatic, invoking East African traditions and wider global cosmologies. Video work such as The End of Eating Everything extends Mutu's sculptural vocabulary into time-based media, where animated, mythological beings twist and morph in an allegorical feast of consumption and transformation. The villa's garden becomes a liminal threshold–a kind of portal between Eden and exile. Galleria Borghese. Wangechi Mutu. Poemi della terra nera - Installation view with The Seated I and IV И. Galleria Borghese Galleria Borghese The Sound of Memory: A Multisensory Encounter Sound serves as an invisible thread throughout the show. From the ambient rhythm of Poems by my great Grandmother, to textual allusions drawn from Bob Marley's War —itself a reinterpretation of Haile Selassie's historic speech against racial injustice—Mutu weaves a multi-sensory tapestry of resistance and remembrance. Language becomes sculptural. Sound becomes a form of historical reckoning. The invisible becomes palpable. Francesca Cappelletti, Director of the Galleria Borghese, aptly describes Mutu's work as encouraging a deeper, more intense way of looking — one that expands the museum experience beyond aesthetics into inquiry. 'They invite us to search for spirits, ghosts, transformation, and poetry,' she writes, 'to not stop at the visible or even at our horizon and its usual beauty.' Indeed, the exhibition reorients the museum from a shrine of preserved beauty into a site of poetic possibility and cultural dialogue. Black Soil Poems also continues beyond the Borghese walls. At the American Academy in Rome, Mutu's sculpture Shavasana I lies in repose among ancient Roman funerary inscriptions. This bronze figure, covered by a woven mat, named after the yoga pose associated with rest and release, quietly embodies death, dignity, and surrender. The installation deepens the exhibition's themes of mortality, transformation, and presence within absence. A Living Archive: Representation and the Black Female Body Mutu's broader practice spans sculpture, painting, film, collage, and installation, consistently returning to the politics of representation. Her hybrid female figures and dystopian dreamscapes ask: Who is seen? Who is imagined? Who is erased? Through this visual lexicon, she interrogates systems that idealize, exoticize, or dehumanize the female body, particularly the Black female body. In her ongoing dialogue with figuration, Mutu doesn't just reclaim space, she redefines it. The Language of Transformation: A Closing Reflection Black Soil Poems is not only a personal milestone for Mutu–her first solo exhibition in Italy—but also a significant moment for the Galleria Borghese. It follows the museum's recent commitment to contemporary art, including notable exhibitions by Giuseppe Penone and Louise Bourgeois. This curatorial trajectory acknowledges that history is not a fixed inheritance but an evolving dialogue, and that the past gains meaning when refracted through the lens of the present. Thanks to the support of FENDI, and a robust public program titled Esistere come donna (To Exist as a Woman), organized by Electa and Fondazione Fondamenta, the exhibition is part of a broader cultural conversation that considers gender, identity, and artistic lineage. With prestigious institutional partners, the program opens pathways for lectures and dialogues that expand upon the exhibition's themes. In Black Soil Poems , Wangechi Mutu offers a deeply layered, sensorially rich encounter that reclaims myth, memory, and space. Her work whispers, glimmers, and unsettles—not to obscure the past, but to seed something new from its soil. In the ancient city of Rome, whose marble monuments often speak with the authority of history, Mutu introduces the language of transformation, calling us to listen, to look again, and to imagine otherwise. Wangechi Mutu Black Soil Poems is at Galleria Borghese, Rome until September 14, 2025.
Sydney Morning Herald
09-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
I stayed in one of Rome's most crowded tourist spots
The Spanish Steps is one of the busiest corners of one of the busiest tourist cities in one of the world's most-visited nations. All day and evening tourists surge aimlessly up and down, as if wondering what they're supposed to do. Some sit exhausted on the steps to eat sandwiches, but will be moved on if police happen by. Others snap selfies using long sticks. Yet others in improbable fashions strike poses for social-media posts. Like everyone, there are times when I bemoan overtourism, but sometimes I just have to embrace it, and where better than on these whimsical steps, fronted by a baroque fountain and topped by a 16th-century twin-towered church? All these surging visitors are harmless enough. They're out in the sun, freed from routine and work, and excited about being in Italy. They chatter and hold hands and kiss and pose. Surely this celebration of life shouldn't be bemoaned. If you want a light-hearted, lively and lovely corner of Rome to stay in, the Spanish Steps beckon. You're right in the capital's most elegant shopping district, centred on Via dei Condotti, though if you're a fashionista you shouldn't miss Via Borgognona and Via Frattina, either. You can walk to the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona and (if you're a hearty walker at least) 2.2 kilometres to the Colosseum too. More esoteric sights are nearby, such as the Keats-Shelley house, the great sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini's house, and Rome's oldest coffeehouse, Antico Caffe Greco. And even here, in this busy Roman district, you can escape into the vast green space of the nearby Villa Borghese gardens, and find one of Europe's best art museums, Galleria Borghese, particularly unmissable if you're a fan of Caravaggio. In the evenings, I walk down the busy streets towards Piazza del Popolo, with its twin churches and obelisk. Crowds surge with me, but so what? I can stickybeak on the world and every nation's tourist habits.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-06-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
I stayed in one of the most overcrowded tourist spots
The Spanish Steps is one of the busiest corners of one of the busiest tourist cities in one of the world's most-visited nations. All day and evening tourists surge aimlessly up and down, as if wondering what they're supposed to do. Some sit exhausted on the steps to eat sandwiches, but will be moved on if police happen by. Others snap selfies using long sticks. Yet others in improbable fashions strike poses for social-media posts. Like everyone, there are times when I bemoan overtourism, but sometimes I just have to embrace it, and where better than on these whimsical steps, fronted by a baroque fountain and topped by a 16th-century twin-towered church? All these surging visitors are harmless enough. They're out in the sun, freed from routine and work, and excited about being in Italy. They chatter and hold hands and kiss and pose. Surely this celebration of life shouldn't be bemoaned. If you want a light-hearted, lively and lovely corner of Rome to stay in, the Spanish Steps beckon. You're right in the capital's most elegant shopping district, centred on Via dei Condotti, though if you're a fashionista you shouldn't miss Via Borgognona and Via Frattina, either. You can walk to the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona and (if you're a hearty walker at least) 2.2 kilometres to the Colosseum too. More esoteric sights are nearby, such as the Keats-Shelley house, the great sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini's house, and Rome's oldest coffeehouse, Antico Caffe Greco. And even here, in this busy Roman district, you can escape into the vast green space of the nearby Villa Borghese gardens, and find one of Europe's best art museums, Galleria Borghese, particularly unmissable if you're a fan of Caravaggio. In the evenings, I walk down the busy streets towards Piazza del Popolo, with its twin churches and obelisk. Crowds surge with me, but so what? I can stickybeak on the world and every nation's tourist habits.
The Age
08-06-2025
- The Age
I stayed in one of the most overcrowded tourist spots
The Spanish Steps is one of the busiest corners of one of the busiest tourist cities in one of the world's most-visited nations. All day and evening tourists surge aimlessly up and down, as if wondering what they're supposed to do. Some sit exhausted on the steps to eat sandwiches, but will be moved on if police happen by. Others snap selfies using long sticks. Yet others in improbable fashions strike poses for social-media posts. Like everyone, there are times when I bemoan overtourism, but sometimes I just have to embrace it, and where better than on these whimsical steps, fronted by a baroque fountain and topped by a 16th-century twin-towered church? All these surging visitors are harmless enough. They're out in the sun, freed from routine and work, and excited about being in Italy. They chatter and hold hands and kiss and pose. Surely this celebration of life shouldn't be bemoaned. If you want a light-hearted, lively and lovely corner of Rome to stay in, the Spanish Steps beckon. You're right in the capital's most elegant shopping district, centred on Via dei Condotti, though if you're a fashionista you shouldn't miss Via Borgognona and Via Frattina, either. You can walk to the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona and (if you're a hearty walker at least) 2.2 kilometres to the Colosseum too. More esoteric sights are nearby, such as the Keats-Shelley house, the great sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini's house, and Rome's oldest coffeehouse, Antico Caffe Greco. And even here, in this busy Roman district, you can escape into the vast green space of the nearby Villa Borghese gardens, and find one of Europe's best art museums, Galleria Borghese, particularly unmissable if you're a fan of Caravaggio. In the evenings, I walk down the busy streets towards Piazza del Popolo, with its twin churches and obelisk. Crowds surge with me, but so what? I can stickybeak on the world and every nation's tourist habits.
Local Italy
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Local Italy
What's on in Italy: 11 events to look forward to this spring
Caravaggio 2025 exhibition, Rome, March 7th-July 6th The National Galleries of Ancient Art and Galleria Borghese have partnered up to offer one of the largest-ever displays of Caravaggio's works this spring as part of celebrations for the Catholic Church's Jubilee year. Held in Rome's Palazzo Barberini, the Caravaggio 2025 exhibition will feature over 20 artworks by the Italian master, including paintings never before displayed in Italy, such as Ecce Homo and Martha and Mary Magdalene, loaned by Madrid's Prado Museum and the Detroit Institute of Arts respectively. The exhibition will open on March 7th and close on July 6th. More information about times and tickets can be found here. Almond Blossom Festival, Agrigento, March 8th-16th The Almond Blossom Festival (or Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore in Italian) is an annual event held in Agrigento, southwestern Sicily, to mark the arrival of spring and the blooming of almond trees. Originally started in the 1930s, the festival transforms the city into a vibrant scene of folklore, live music and cultural traditions every March. This year's programme features performances from folk bands, colourful parades and food stands giving visitors a chance to sample local almond-based delicacies. Rome Marathon, March 16th The 2025 edition of the Rome marathon will take place on Sunday, March 16th. The 42-kilometre race will start on Via dei Fori Imperiali at 8.30am, with runners passing by some of the city's most famous landmarks – from Piazza Navona to Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican – before crossing the finish line at the Circo Massimo. Another event will take place on the same date: the Run4Rome relay race, which allows teams of four people to collectively cover the full marathon distance by running one of four race segments each. Further details can be found on the marathon's website. Vinitaly, Verona, April 6th-9th This annual Verona-based fair draws producers and buyers from around the world for several days of talks, tastings and workshops. A man pours a glass of wine during the 50th edition of the Vinitaly wine exhibition in Verona in 2016. Photo by VINCENZO PINTO / AFP While Vinitaly itself is an event for industry professionals, its spin-off Vinitaly and the City, held in the days leading up to the main fair (April 4th-6th) specifically caters to amateur oenophiles. You can find more information about Vinitaly here. Milan Furniture Fair, April 8th-13th If you're short on inspiration on how to decorate your new Italian home or simply like to keep up with the latest home design trends, the Milan Furniture Fair (or Salone del Mobile) – a yearly benchmark event for the international furnishing and design sector – may just be what you're looking for. The event will run from April 8th to April 13th at the Rho Fiera complex. Access will be limited to industry professionals from April 8th to April 11th, and open to all on Saturday, April 12th, and Sunday, April 13th. Tickets can be purchased here. Fuorisalone (literally, 'outside the fair') – a series of smaller shows, events and parties held across the northern city – will run parallel to the main furniture fair. Explosion of the cart, Florence, April 20th All of Italy will be celebrating Easter Sunday on April 20th, but only Florence will do so by blowing up a cart right in front of its cathedral in what's known as scoppio del carro ('explosion of the cart'). Every year, a two-story cart full to the brim with fireworks is pulled from the Church of Santi Apostoli to the central Piazza Duomo by four white oxen followed by a crowd of people dressed in 15th-century garb. There, a dove-shaped rocket flies into the cart via a cable, setting off a spectacular fireworks display overhead. The 'explosion' generally takes place at around 11am. No booking is required. Rome birthday celebrations, April 21st Italy's capital celebrates the anniversary of its founding on April 21st every year (legend has it that the first king of Rome, Romulus, ploughed the city's boundaries on April 21st, 753 BC). The 2025 programme hasn't been unveiled yet, but celebrations generally include talks with historians and writers, art exhibitions and historical reenactments, including a traditional parade of centurions marching through central Rome. Happy birthday, Roma! 🎂 Here is my video of the day in Rome on April 21: Forum, Atrium Vestalium for the Parilia, Fori Imperiali procession, Circus Maximus spectacle! Watch! #nataledirome #roma753 @Gru_Sto_Romano @_MiBACT @museitaliani @SaveRome — Darius Arya (@DariusAryaDigs) April 20, 2020 Giro d'Italia, May 9th-June 1st This year's Giro d'Italia will start in Durres, Albania, on May 9th and pass through two other Albanian cities (Tirana and Vlore) before returning to Italy. Once in Italy, riders will weave their way up across the peninsula from Lecce, Puglia, riding through cities, lakes and mountain ranges all over the country on the way. Rome will once again host the closing stage of the Giro, with the riders set to cross the finish line on Via dei Fori Imperiali. If you're in Naples on May 15th, Siena on the 18th, Modena on the 22nd, or Rome on June 1st, you'll have the opportunity to see a leg of the race in person. More information is available here. Venice Architecture Biennale, May 10th-November 23rd Curated by architect and engineer Carlo Ratti, Venice's 19th International Architecture Exhibition will focus on the evolving role of architecture in response to climate change, calling on architects to harness a variety of intelligences – natural, artificial and collective – to rethink their designs' impact on the environment. Displays will be spread across two venues: the Central Pavilion at the Biennale Gardens and the Arsenale complex. Turin Book Fair, May 15th-19th The Salone Internazionale del Libro in Turin is Italy's largest book fair and will once again be held in the Lingotto Fiere exhibition space. The event brings more than 1,000 publishers to the Piedmont capital. While open to anyone (not just publishers and editors), this is primarily a commercial trade fair; so if you're looking for something on a smaller scale, literary festival Una Marina di Libri ('A Shore of Books') will take place in Palermo from June 6th to June 9th. More information on the Turin Book Fair can be found here. Infiorata di Noto, May 16th-20th The Infiorata di Noto sees the main street of this Baroque southeastern Sicilian city decorated with a carpet of colourful blossoms stretching for over 700 square metres in total. The event will unfold over four days – from May 16th to May 20th. According to the Noto town hall's website, access to the display will cost €5. This year's event will celebrate themes of peace and hope. l'incantevole infiorata di noto, sicilia — James Lucas (@JamesLucasIT) June 29, 2022
