Matèria Gallery's outdoor light project invades San Lorenzo

Matèria Gallery in Rome has launched 'Luci di via', an outdoor exhibition curated by Giuliana Benassi that extends the gallery's boundaries into the San Lorenzo neighborhood with site-specific light works. The project title draws from Benassi's metaphor of the gallery as a boat navigating the sea, using 'via lights'—navigation lights that signal a ship's presence rather than illuminating surroundings. The inaugural installation features the duo Genuardi/Ruta (Antonella Genuardi and Leonardo Ruta, formed in 2014 at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo), who created five luminous sculptures that redefine the gallery's external perimeter. These sculptures, with bright colors and natural-world carvings, cast shadow plays during the day and are lit internally at night to highlight the figurative cuts. The project replaces the old lanterns of a former pub that previously occupied the space, as explained by gallery director Niccolò Fano. This is the first in a series of interventions by contemporary artists invited to engage with the gallery and the neighborhood. The exhibition opened in September 2023.