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Rogelio López Cuenca's 'Golden Visa' billboards critique migration narratives across Rome

exhibition · 2026-04-27

Rogelio López Cuenca, a Spanish artist born in 1959 in Nerja, has unveiled 'Golden Visa', a public art initiative featuring ten billboards throughout Rome, running until March 28, 2021. These billboards, displayed on 250 panels at prominent sites such as the Colosseum and Via Appia, challenge the media's representation of migration and urban speculation. This initiative is part of 'A quel paese', the inaugural Italian retrospective of López Cuenca, organized by Fondazione Baruchello in collaboration with Real Academia de España en Roma and Acción Cultural Española AC/E, curated by Anna Cestelli Guidi. Although the exhibition is currently closed due to COVID-19, the billboards remain on display. A second series of 250 billboards will be shown from April 22 to May 1, followed by a third from June 4 to 13. Additionally, López Cuenca's work 'Icarus' (1994-2020) is featured on the terrace of San Pietro in Montorio.

Key facts

  • Rogelio López Cuenca created 10 billboards for 'Golden Visa' project in Rome
  • 250 advertising panels display the posters until March 28, 2021
  • Locations include Via delle Botteghe Oscure, Colosseum, Largo Brancaccio, Via Panama, Via Appia, Viale San Paolo, Via Aurelia Antica, Lungotevere Flaminio, Viale Palmiro Togliatti, Via Prati Fiscali, Viale Jonio, Via Vasco de Gama
  • The project is part of the exhibition 'A quel paese', the first Italian retrospective of López Cuenca
  • Exhibition organized by Fondazione Baruchello with Real Academia de España en Roma and Acción Cultural Española AC/E
  • Curated by Anna Cestelli Guidi
  • Exhibition closed to public due to COVID-19 restrictions
  • Second run of billboards from April 22 to May 1, third from June 4 to 13
  • Work 'Icarus' (1994-2020) installed on terrace of San Pietro in Montorio, Gianicolo
  • Billboards critique media narratives on migration and urban speculation

Entities

Artists

  • Rogelio López Cuenca
  • Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Institutions

  • Fondazione Baruchello
  • Real Academia de España en Roma
  • Acción Cultural Española AC/E

Locations

  • Rome
  • Italy
  • Nerja
  • Spain
  • Via delle Botteghe Oscure
  • Colosseum
  • Largo Brancaccio
  • Via Panama
  • Via Appia
  • Viale San Paolo
  • Via Aurelia Antica
  • Lungotevere Flaminio
  • Viale Palmiro Togliatti
  • Via Prati Fiscali
  • Viale Jonio
  • Via Vasco de Gama
  • San Pietro in Montorio
  • Gianicolo

Sources