Via Emilia Exhibition at Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia

A major exhibition at the Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia, curated by Luigi Malnati, Roberto Macellari, and Italo Rota, explores the historical and cultural significance of the Via Emilia, the Roman road built in 187 BC by consul Marco Emilio Lepido connecting Rimini to Piacenza. The show, titled "On the Road," juxtaposes archaeological artifacts with pop culture references, including Jack Kerouac's novel, film stills from Fellini's Amarcord, and works by artists like Christo, Robert Venturi, Ed Ruscha, and Gustave Eiffel. It features a monumental timeline from ancient times to the Freccia Rossa high-speed train, and includes a sperm whale calf stranded in 1938 displayed opposite Luigi Ghirri's photograph Marina di Ravenna (1986). The exhibition combines immersive multimedia with archaeological finds, such as funerary objects from the Regium Lepidi necropolis, and highlights the road's role as a conduit for trade, culture, and ideas across millennia.