ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Arianna Desideri on Curating as Proximity, Re-margining, and Activation

artist · 2026-04-27

Arianna Desideri, born in 1996 in Rome, is an art historian and curator who completed her studies at Sapienza University of Rome. She co-established D.A.P.A. and wrote "Roma 70. Interventi e pratiche artistiche nello spazio urbano." Her mail-art initiative, "Dialoghi dell’altrove, eppure in noi," features interviews with artists such as Pasquale Polidori and Sara Basta. Desideri perceives curation as a form of relational mediation, while historical-artistic research serves as a curatorial endeavor. In 2019, alongside Jacopo Natoli, she initiated D.A.P.A., focusing on interventions in public spaces. Her prominent projects include "Fairwatching" at Artissima 2019 and "Lightbox + cabina" (2020). Additionally, she developed the "Visita non-guidata" format, which was trialed at La Galleria Nazionale in Rome and later featured in ISIT magazine #2 and Artribune Magazine #58.

Key facts

  • Arianna Desideri was born in Rome in 1996.
  • She studied at Sapienza University of Rome.
  • She co-founded D.A.P.A. – Derive Azioni Psicogeografie Atmosfere.
  • She authored 'Roma 70. Interventi e pratiche artistiche nello spazio urbano'.
  • Her mail-art project 'Dialoghi dell’altrove, eppure in noi' interviews artists via postcard.
  • Interviewees include Sara Basta and Pasquale Polidori.
  • Historical figures Franco Falasca and Carmelo Romeo contributed oral testimonies for her book.
  • D.A.P.A. was co-founded with Jacopo Natoli in 2019.
  • D.A.P.A. intervention 'Fairwatching' took place at Artissima in 2019.
  • Desideri curated 'Lightbox + cabina' for Jacopo Natoli in 2020.
  • The 'Visita non-guidata' format was published in ISIT magazine #2.
  • The first 'Visita non-guidata' was held at La Galleria Nazionale in Rome.
  • The article was written by Dario Moalli.
  • The article was published in Artribune Magazine #58.

Entities

Artists

  • Arianna Desideri
  • Sara Basta
  • Pasquale Polidori
  • Franco Falasca
  • Carmelo Romeo
  • Jacopo Natoli
  • Dario Moalli

Institutions

  • Università di Roma Sapienza
  • D.A.P.A. – Derive Azioni Psicogeografie Atmosfere
  • Artissima
  • La Galleria Nazionale
  • ISIT magazine
  • Artribune Magazine

Locations

  • Rome
  • Italy

Sources