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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Casa Balla: From the House to the Universe and Back

June 17 – Nov 21, 2021
Via Oslavia, 39b, 00195 Roma RM, Italy

“Reconstruct the universe by making it more joyful,” wrote the Futurist artist Giacomo Balla (1871–1958) in a 1915 manifesto. He started with his own apartment. Now, for the first time, the three-bedroom flat that he shared with his two daughters-turned-collaborators is open to the public. The trio painted their corridors in reds and blues. They embellished their dishes with designs in pale yellow and forest green, and produced their own rugs. Like a mini installation, a color-blocked suit hangs in one daughter’s closet. To celebrate the opening of Casa Balla, MAXXI Museum is exhibiting contemporary work inspired by Balla’s Futurist principles. Alongside his furniture and sketches the gallery features digital art, drawings, and sculptures made by eight international artists, among them Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine, Alex Cecchetti, and Leonardo Sonnoli. —J.D.