Roma's Urban Art Scene: From Joseph Mitchell to Contemporary Street Interventions
The piece explores the theme of 'integrating into the city' through artistic interventions and urban exploration in Rome, drawing inspiration from Joseph Mitchell's 'Una vita per strada.' Mitchell, a writer for The New Yorker, gathered found items while strolling through Manhattan. In 2020, during the lockdown, artist Fausto Delle Chiaie established an open-air museum near Piazza Augusto Imperatore, showcasing small artworks and discarded materials to impart fresh significance. Since 2017, Leonardo Crudi of Collettivo900 has been placing hand-painted posters for experimental films throughout Rome. Additionally, the German Academy Villa Massimo initiated 'Arte per i vicini' during the lockdown, featuring nightly art displays for locals and producing marmalade from lemons grown in their garden. Emilia Giorgi emphasizes the value of taking time to connect with the environment and its inhabitants.
Key facts
- Joseph Mitchell's book 'Una vita per strada' (2014, Adelphi) inspired the author's urban explorations.
- Mitchell worked at The New Yorker from 1938 to 1996 but stopped writing articles after 1964.
- Mitchell collected found objects and described them on small papers, stored in jam jars.
- Fausto Delle Chiaie has been creating an open-air museum around Piazza Augusto Imperatore since 2017.
- Delle Chiaie uses small works, paper pieces, and discarded objects to create a new urban landscape.
- Leonardo Crudi of Collettivo900 has been hand-painting posters for experimental films since 2017.
- Crudi's posters use tailor's paper, enamel, and Bic pens, and are affixed to walls around Rome.
- Villa Massimo launched 'Arte per i vicini' during lockdown, presenting artworks on its terrace.
- Villa Massimo also made marmalade from garden lemons to give to the community.
- 'Villa Massimo si avvicina' is a recent program of artistic gestures over three weeks around the Academy.
Entities
Artists
- Joseph Mitchell
- Fausto Delle Chiaie
- Leonardo Crudi
- Anna di Alberto Grifi
Institutions
- Adelphi
- The New Yorker
- Collettivo900
- Accademia Tedesca di Villa Massimo
- Villa Massimo
- Artribune
- MiBACT
- MAXXI
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Manhattan
- New York
- United States
- Piazza Augusto Imperatore