Street Art In Rome: to redefine the face of suburbs
Art can give a brand new essence to things, transforming reality in something different and more charming.
Street Art even emphasizes this aspect of art. Its creations and installations in public locations in fact have revolutionized the approach of the art and its impact on social sphere. Artists, choosing streets as their gallery make art accessible to everyone, completely changing its fruition. Recently this artistic and social phenomenon has exponentially grown in Rome. Many art galleries specialized in street art have been opened and there are a number of events focused on this visual branch.
The latest interesting events, topic of this article are: Big City Life in Tor Marancia district and Sanba Street Art Project in San Basilio district. Both are innovative and important in some way, because they choose as sets working-class districts, all but artistic sceneries. Whole blocks of buildings totally transformed, facades of flats and public housing turned into huge canvas.
Street Art in Rome Suburbs, Tor Marancia
Big City Life
My first impression once arrived in the neighborhood has been quite estranging. It is something like a contrasting feeling. Crumbling and grey buildings all around and then suddenly amazing and bright colors coming from a specific and central block of the district. Big City Life, a project of public requalification, ideated by 999 contemporary and patronized by Roma Capitale, involves 21 top artists from all over the world getting together to give new life to this area. Each building shows a different subject, style, approach and colors, from abstract inspiration to liberty influences until the new frontiers of 3D. Different art expressions harmonized in a street art multiple path. A sort of huge and multifaceted urban Rubik’s cube. The 500 families of the allotment have been involved in this project that turns these social housing into an artistic district.
see also this blog post about street art
Street Art in Rome Suburbs, San Basilio
Sanba Street Art Project
The effect here is even stronger. When you arrive in this working-class district, you immediately notice the decadence of the area. Almost-falling buildings “left alone” in a periphery that seems like the city has forgotten. But all of a sudden after you ride with your car searching for these street art works you are almost stunned at this view. A square with a little run in the middle, surrounded by 6 buildings painted by the Italian artist Hitnes. Each facade has a different animal subject, all part of the the same imaginative universe. Marine pines, floral elements and tropical birds frame the central animals and create a proper abstract vegetation in this concrete jungle. The elements of this decrepit but inhabited buildings, such as air-conditioning, antennas cables, drying clothes merge with parrots, cats and exotic trees. The triumph of street art melting with the surrounding environment and changing the perception of a place.
Roman Suburbs Street Art
We cannot avoid to mention also the monumental mural realized in Torpignattara district. Curated by Varsi gallery, it has been created by the polish artist Etam Cru, who painted his “Coffee Break”, a gigantic man arising from rubbish holding a cup of coffee that erects to cover the whole 32 mt high building facade. It looks into the entire block and is the highest mural in Rome. Definitely an amazing sight.
Forgotten and sad neighborhoods converted into open air galleries that gather visitors and offer a unique contemporary experience. Yesterday only suburbs, today outdoor museums. New alternative touristic paths that the Eternal but Modern city offers.
