Corpo Estraneo: Bryony Roberts and Melissa Lohman Transform Piazza del Campidoglio

On June 16, 2016, Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome became the stage for "Corpo Estraneo," a performance merging architecture, theater, and dance. The project was conceived by architect Bryony Roberts, a fellow at the American Academy in Rome for the 2015/2016 academic year, and choreographer Melissa Lohman from New York. The performance featured dancers Chiara Casciani, Maria Elena Curzi, Silvia Franci, Lucrezia Micheli, and Chiara Pacioni, whose movements activated the piazza's polygonal pavement designed by Michelangelo and realized under Mussolini. "Corpo Estraneo" reflected on women's condition in contemporary society and broader social and cultural changes perceptible through urban design. The event was part of the exhibition "Studio Systems" curated by Peter Benson Miller, artistic director of the American Academy, running until July 3 at the Gianicolo. Three performance slots occurred at 19:30, 20:00, and 20:30.