MAXXI Turns 15: A Night of Art, Music and Five Bold New Exhibitions
Last Wednesday, the National Museum of 21st Century Arts (also known as MAXXI) hosted an exceptional evening to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary and the rich heritage of the building, designed by late architect Zaha Hadid. Exceptionally open until 11 PM, with free admission and galleries buzzing with visitors, the museum welcomed guests to join a celebration of living arts. Say Who’s lens captured, among others, the President of the MAXXI Foundation, Maria Emanuela Bruni; Artistic Director Francesco Stocchi; Director of Contemporary Architecture and Design Lorenza Baroncelli; designer Nacho Carbonell; painter Alfredo Pirri; CEO of Palazzo Grassi–Punta della Dogana Bruno Racine; photographer Fabrizio Ferri; and writer Sandro Veronesi.
Five exhibitions, five visions, five statements of intent. Starting with STADI. Architecture and Myth, a deep dive into the epic imagination of football and the symbolic power of stadiums as urban cathedrals. Dominating the hall, Nacho Carbonell’s monumental installation Memory, in practice stands seven meters tall, an intricate chandelier tree woven from fishing nets and poetic light, reshaping the space. Elsewhere, Pretty much every film and video work from about 1992 until now-ish…, an audiovisual labyrinth by Douglas Gordon, takes visitors on a mind-bending journey through the psyche of one of video art’s most restless figures.
Rounding out the program, two archival deep dives offer homage to history: Galleria Pieroni 1975–1992, a nexus of the Italian avant-garde, and Foro Italico by Enrico Del Debbio, a still-provocative example of Rationalist architecture that continues to echo through today’s urban discourse.
And the cherry on top? The announcement that MAXXI has officially been named a National Monument—a title that’s not just a celebration, but a recognition that this space, born to experiment, has already become part of history.
Photos: Niccolò Campita
Text: Germano D’Acquisto
