MACRO Rome Unveils 2026 Exhibition Program Featuring Female Artists and International Focus

The MACRO – Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Roma has announced its 2026 exhibition program under the artistic direction of Cristiana Perrella. The museum is expanding its scope beyond its initial focus on Rome to present projects that examine contemporary issues through diverse artistic languages. The program begins on April 29 with Hito Steyerl's first Italian exhibition, 'Mechanical Kurds,' a video installation exploring artificial intelligence, geopolitics, and digital labor. Other key exhibitions include a solo show by Miriam Cahn opening May 28, focusing on the female body as a political space, and the first institutional retrospective of Marialba Russo in September, curated by Elena Magini. The fall season will feature a collaborative exhibition by Francis Upritchard and Martino Gamper, blending sculpture and design, and a new performance piece by Alessandro Sciarroni. The program also includes the extension of two current exhibitions: 'UNAROMA' until May 3 and 'Abitare le rovine del presente' until May 10. Additional initiatives encompass an exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the Premio Strega literary prize, curated by Maria Luisa Frisa and Mario Lupano; the return of the international female video art series 'SHE DEVIL' by Stefania Miscetti; an audio project dedicated to poet Amelia Rosselli; and the 'Science Fashion' series of discussions on fashion, science, and technology. Perrella noted that the program naturally evolved to feature predominantly women artists, whose voices she views as particularly adept at interpreting contemporary complexities. The museum aims to utilize all its spaces, including the former Peroni brewery, to present contemporary art as an accessible yet intellectually rigorous practice.