Rome's chaotic Christmas light shows criticized for lack of artistic curation

Rome's 2020 Christmas lights program, launched on December 8, includes an underwhelming tree at Piazza Venezia (dubbed 'Spelacchio' and costing ten times more than the first year of Mayor Raggi's term) and various light installations and video projections inaugurated on December 18, such as nativity scenes at Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo. The video-mapping show 'Visioni di Natale' on Palazzo Senatorio at Piazza del Campidoglio features Nativity-themed frescoes and paintings. However, the article criticizes the chaotic organization and lack of a unified cultural direction. At Porta del Popolo, the 'Custodes' projection curated by Livia Cannella depicts guardian angels inspired by ancient and Baroque iconography with sacred music, though marred by a luminous advertisement. In contrast, at Piazza Navona, a video-mapping on Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi runs every 20 minutes from 5 PM to 9 PM until January 6, but the projection is designed by a technology company rather than an artist, resulting in a kitschy effect that overwhelms the fountain's normal artistic illumination. The article suggests that such impactful interventions on public monuments should involve competitions, expert juries, museum supervision, and renowned artists, especially when projecting onto works by Bernini.