American Academy in Rome

SAVE THE DATE

Peter Benson Miller – The Great Collage: American Artists in Postwar Rome
March 25
6:00 pm
Via Angelo Masina, 5

Join us for an evening of art, history, and cultural exchange with Peter Benson Miller
( ), former Andrew Heiskell Arts Director at the Academy (2013–2020), and a
renowned independent art historian and curator based in Rome. He returns to present his lecture, “The Great Collage: American Artists in Postwar Rome.”
Miller will examine the many forms of collage produced by American artists in postwar Rome and the creative networks and political realities that shaped them. Presented in conjunction with the release of his new book, ‘American Artists in Postwar Rome: Art
and Cultural Exchange’ (Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2025), this lecture introduces fresh perspectives on transatlantic artistic dialogue, with particular attention to the contributions of q***r, African American, and women artists working abroad during the
Cold War.

Img caption:
1. Ilse Getz, Collage #5, 1956, wood, fiber, oil, stone, and paper on wood panel, 50.8 x 106.7 cm. © Estate of Ilse Getz. Photograph courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY.
2. Peter Benson Miller. Photograph by Athena McAlpine

Giancarlo Tursi is the 2025 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Rome Prize Fellow in modern Italian studies and assistant professor of translation studies in the Department of French and Italian at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His project examines partial to complete dialectal translations of The Divine Comedy during Italy’s unification era. Given that only 2.3 percent of Italians spoke the standard language, these translations may have promoted national integration or, alternatively, served local interests, recalling Dante’s choice to write in Tuscan over Latin. The study presents Italy as a “nation-in-translation,” revealing the complex role of language in shaping national identity.

Head to aarome.org/news to read the full interview.

SAVE THE DATE (NEW YORK!)
Caroline Goodson:
Urban Ecologies in Early Medieval Europe
Tuesday, March 25th
7:00 PM (EST)
Bob and Sheila Hoerle Lecture Hall
The New School
63 Fifth Avenue, University Center, Room UL105
New York, NY

In early medieval society, nearly all aspects of daily life were forged by the nature of a city. In the wake of the Roman Empire, the ancient cities that remained provided the foundation for new forms of urban living to evolve. What did this process look like, and what do we know about the modus vivendi of these antique spaces?

Join us for Caroline Goodson’s lecture where she will explore key questions: How did life in an early medieval city differ from the countryside? What material, economic, and social forces shaped the cities of Europe in this era? Through cities like Rome, Cologne, and Cordoba, Goodson uncovers the evolving realities of life in the past of these urban centers.

is the Andrew W. Mellon Humanities Professor at the American Academy in Rome and the author of Cultivating the City in Early Medieval Italy, which examines the cultural roles of urban gardening. A historian at the University of Cambridge and a fellow at King’s College, her expertise on the transformation of Rome and other enduring Mediterranean cities offers a compelling perspective on their pasts.

Img captions:
1. Detail of an aerial photograph of Benevento, Italy, 1943/45 (Photo: Royal Air Force, Digital image: Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione)
2. Caroline Goodson by Gerardo Gaetani.

For our latest , we highlight Claire Dillon , the 2025 Paul Mellon Rome Prize Fellow in Medieval Studies and a PhD candidate at Columbia University. Dillon specializes in the visual cultures of the medieval Mediterranean, focusing on silk textile production in Sicily and how the identification of fragments attributed –or misattributed– to Muslim weavers shape modern perceptions of the island’s Islamic past.

At the Academy, she is also researching twentieth-century neomedieval architecture in Italy and its former colonies, uncovering how Sicily’s medieval and Islamic histories were repurposed for imperial narratives. Her work has revealed new insights into the Cathedral of Mogadishu and its connections to Norman Sicilian architecture. Engaging with AAR’s diversely knowledgeable community, she’s gained lots of unexpected inspiration through conversation with conservators, artists, designers, and more.

Read the full interview at aarome.org

Photos 1 and 3 by
Photo 2: A triple portrait of Claire Dillon, Rick Lowe and Khaled Sabsabi by Kimmah Dennis

SAVE THE DATE:

LECTURE
Decolonizing Curatorial Practices at Howard University Gallery of Art 
March 18
6:30 pm

PERFORMANCE
Mariposa Ancestral Memory
March 20
6:00 pm

Via Angelo Masina, 5

For the last two appointments of ‘There’s Always More’, our program on the Black History Month 2025, we present a lecture and a performance by Dr. Raul Moarquech Ferrera-Blanquet. The lecture on March 18 will focus on ‘Africana Kairibe Malungaje: Futurist Reversed Memorie’, his curatorial research and exhibition project for the 2025–2027 season at Howard University Gallery of Art. This talk challenges colonial stereotypes and explores how African Caribbean artists reclaim space, history, and identity through their work.

On March 20, he will present the Italian premiere of ‘Mariposa Ancestral Memory’, an interdisciplinary project that weaves together history, spirituality, and migration through multimedia installation and ceremonial performance.

These programs are supported in part by Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant.

Free and open to the public.
For more info, go the link in bio.

SAVE THE DATE ‼️

PANEL
A Heritage Under Threat – Climate Change and Archeological Sites
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
6:00 pm
Via Angelo Masina, 5

An event in collaboration with

Many of the world’s most important archaeological sites are located in the Mediterranean Basin.
Long-standing threats to this archaeological heritage include rapidly increasing tourism,
mismanaged development, poor excavation and looting, lack of conservation. Climate change
exacerbates these risks and poses an increasing and potentially catastrophic danger to the
world’s archaeological heritage.

Bringing together climate scientists and heritage practitioners, this expert panel will discuss how
climate change is impacting archaeological sites and potential responses to dealing with this
crisis.

Panelists: Patrick Gonzalez, Ph.D., Climate Change Scientist and Associate Adjunct Professor,
University of California, Berkeley; Mairi H. Davies, Ph.D., Climate Change Policy Manager,
Historic Environment Scotland; Tiziana D’Angelo, Director, Archaeological Park of Paestum and
Velia.

The event will be held in English

We’re pleased to announce that the duo Francesco Urbano Ragazzi ( ) is the winner of the inaugural Italian Fellows Program for Curatorial Research!

The duo comprising Francesco Ragazzi and Francesco Urbano, has been awarded a residency at the American Academy in Rome for curators in collaboration and with the support of the Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea () of the Italian Ministry of Culture ( ). This initiative supports research aimed at promoting Italian contemporary art and its system internationally.
Their research project, ‘Altérité Italienne,“ draws inspiration from Carla Lonzi and critically explores the concept of Italian identity in contemporary art. The residency in Rome, running until May 23, 2025, will culminate in a public presentation in Rome and New York in the fall of 2025.

The duo will collaborate with artists such as Monia Ben Hamouda (.benhamouda.studio ) (2025 Affiliated Bvlgary Fellow, in collaboration with the MAXXI and Whitney Museums), Ludovica Carbotta,
Liryc Dela Cruz, Tomaso De Luca () (2017 Italian Fellow), Michele Gabriele, Beatrice
Gibson, Invernomuto () (2019 Italian Fellow), Muna Mussie, and Natália Trejbalová.


IMG credit:
1. Duo Francesco Urbano Ragazzi by Monkeys Video Lab
2. Hillary. The Hillary Clinton Emails, Kenneth Goldsmith curated by Francesco Urbano Ragazzi, exhibition view, Despar Teatro Italia, Venezia 2019 © Giorgio
De Vecchi. Gerda Studio.
3. Adoration. Permanent Installation at Giudecca Female Prison by Pauline Curnier Jardin, curated by Francesco Urbano Ragazzi, 2022. Ph.Tania Innocenti
4. Jonas Mekas’s retrospettive at MMCA Seoul, curated by Francesco Urbano Ragazzi, 2018. Courtesy of MMCA

(Italian in comments)

JOIN US TOMORROW!

Workshop
Approaches to the Roman Empire
Tuesday, March 4
3:00 pm
Via Angelo Masina, 5

The Roman Republic and Empire didn’t just shape culture and politics—they transformed the environment. From deforestation and metalworking to shifting agricultural practices, Rome’s expansion left a lasting mark on nature and our understanding of it.
Join us for an afternoon workshop exploring the Roman environment (c. 200 BCE–600 CE) through new research on climate, agriculture, and human impact. Scholars will discuss how emerging paleoenvironmental data and excavations are reshaping our knowledge of Rome’s ecological history.

Featuring: Ria Berg, Roald Dijkstra, Claudia Minniti, Jean-Philippe Goiran, Roberto Ragno, Peter Sarris, Jessica Venner and Angela Trentacoste.

Free and open to the public.

More info at the link in bio.

is at the Academy and as usual, the hosted some of our wonderful producers to our annual Producers Lunch. We love this tradition because it gives us an opportunity to celebrate, and give a special thanks to the people who work hard to grow, craft and market the ingredients that make up the Academy’s known beautiful community meals. The RSFP also takes care of introducing them to each other, doing their part in strengthening the delicate network of artisans, farmers and small family businesses in central Italy that are implementing organic, regenerative and ethical practices in their daily work. Thank you to them and to Alice for the ongoing support and inspiration!

SCREENING AND CONVERSATION
February 19
5:30 pm

WORKSHOP (max. 20 participants)
February 20
3:00 pm

Via Angelo Masina, 5

In our second and third appointments of the program, we partner with The Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College . Join us on February 19 for a screening of ‘The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist’, a powerful chamber opera by Jonathan Berger (2017 Fellow), Enrico Riley (2017 Fellow) and Vievee Francis, exploring loss, resilience, and the fight for justice. After the screening, join the conversation with the creators, moderated by Johanne Affricot , with Wissal Houbabi and Benedicta Djumpah .

Then, on February 20, return for ‘The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist: Ritual Project’, an interactive workshop led by Berger, Riley, and Francis. The event will include a screening of ‘Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Garner and Eric Garner’, followed by a workshop inviting us all to reflect, resist, and learn together through music, words, and art.

More info at the link in bio.

“Geography influences the way the African diaspora engages with ancient Egypt in tremendous ways. Much of the discourse on this subject is premised on not only the modern era’s temporal distance from ancient Egypt but also the diaspora’s defining distance from the African continent. Geography frames identity.”

This is the final weekend to see ‘Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876–Now’ at the curated by 2023 Affiliated Fellow . His research during his residency helped shape this groundbreaking exhibition that features some of the most prominent names that have passed through the Academy, spanning disciplines and generations including , , , and . Read more in our interview with Tommasino and AAR communications officer . Link in bio.

Installation views of ‘Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt,1876–Now’, on view November 17, 2024–February 17, 2025 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by Eileen Travell, Courtesy of The Met 

(Captions in comments)

SCREENING AND CONVERSATION
The Black Italian Renaissance
February 13, 5:00 pm (CET)
Via Angelo Masina, 5

In celebration of Black History Month 2025 and the public program There’s Always More, we present ‘The Black Italian Renaissance: African Presence in Art’ (2022) an award-winning documentary by journalist and screenwriter Francesca Priori ( ) and filmmaker Cristian Di Mattia (.d.mattia ). The screening will be followed by a conversation featuring Priori, Di Mattia, Angelica Pesarini (University of Toronto), and Justin Randolph Thompson (Black History Month Florence, The Recovery Plan), moderated by Curator-at-Large Johanne Affricot ( ).
Through Renaissance masterpieces and archival research, the documentary uncovers the African presence in Italy and the evolving concepts of race from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Presented in collaboration with Sky Arte ( ).

Free and open to the public.

Register on the link in bio.

In celebration of the second edition of at the American Academy in Rome, we are thrilled to present There’s Always More –a public program exploring the notion of abundance through screenings, conversations, lectures, and performances, curated by Johanne Affricot (Curator-at-Large). The 2025 framework examines abundance in its multiple forms –whether as a pursuit of wealth, a threat to status, or a source of hope and new possibilities. This series invites reflection on the complex relationship between the Black body and history: What does abundance look like in relation to history today? What are the implications of applying this notion to Black history? How do we define and measure it in connection with multidimensional identities and geographies? Join us at the Academy throughout February and March.

For more information and all details about the events in the public program, visit the link in bio.

‼️FINAL DAYS TO APPLY

The American Academy in Rome is still accepting applications for four distinguished fellowships for Italian artists and scholars in architecture/landscape architecture, medieval studies and musical composition. The Italian Fellows Program offers the unique opportunity to advance their work within a vibrant, interdisciplinary community in Rome.

For the first time, Italian Fellows in the arts are selected by a jury through an open call. This year we are interested in architecture, landscape architecture, and musical composition.

Feel free to share this opportunity with whoever might be interested.

Deadline is February 12, 2025 at midnight (CET).

For more information, please visit aarome.org/apply/italian-fellows-program or go to the link in bio.

Thank you all for joining us at the screening of ‘Questions as Tools in Art, Science, and the Humanities’ and the conversation that followed. Your thoughtful questions and engagement helped make the event a success. A special thanks to our panelists, Richard Kenney (1987 Fellow) and Marina Rustow (2007 Fellow) for their inspiring reflections, in an interesting exchange moderated by Peter N. Miller (AAR President and CEO) and Hideo Mabuchi (Professor, ) –directors of the film– and to the MacArthur Foundation ( ) for their continued support of intellectual inquiry across disciplines.
We hope the conversations sparked during the event will continue as we explore the power of questions in shaping creativity and knowledge. If you missed the full documentary, we invite you to watch it and dive deeper into the themes discussed by visiting: questions.aarome.org.

📣Calling Italian curators! 📣
The American Academy in Rome, in collaboration with and with the support of the Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea ( ) of the Italian Ministry of Culture ( ), offers a unique opportunity for a spring 2025 residency. This fellowship is dedicated to researching contemporary Italian art and its systems in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

From March 3 to May 24, 2025, the fellow will live and work at the Academy, building meaningful
connections with American and Italian cohorts. The fellowship includes room, board, and a
stipend.

Apply by January 30, 2025.
For more details, visit the link in bio.

(ITA)
Attenzione curatori italiani! L’American Academy in Rome, in collaborazione e con il supporto della Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea del Ministero Italiano di Cultura, offre una straordinaria opportunità per una residenza primaverile nel 2025. Questa borsa di studio è dedicata alla ricerca sull’arte contemporanea italiana e i suoi sistemi in un ambiente dinamico e collaborativo.
Dal 3 marzo al 24 maggio 2025, il/la borsista vivrà e lavorerà presso l’Accademia, creando connessioni significative con colleghi americani e italiani. La borsa di studio include vitto, alloggio e stipendio.
Invia la tua domanda entro il 30 gennaio 2025.
Per maggiori dettagli, visita il link in bio.

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Thank you for coming in many to our Winter Open Studios 2024 last week, closing our calendar of public programs at the Academy for this year.

Featuring architect Anthony Acciavatti , poet Jacob Shores-Argüello , musical composer Daria Scia , and visual artists Kimmah Dennis , Nona Faustine , and Sheila Pepe who installed in their studios and other spaces of the Mckim Mead and White Building, the evening also included live performances by with a piece composed by Daria Scia (Italian Fellow in Musical Composition) and a vocal performance by , fellow traveler, who contributed to the video piece presented by Jacob Shores-Argüello (Fellow in Literature).

We also said goodbye to our memorable exhibition , that received a record of visits and positive reviews from the audience and specialized media.

It’s been an amazing and busy year, thank you for always supporting our programming and contributing to the experience of our community in Rome. See you at the Academy in 2025!