'Videocittà' returns to Rome in the name of the Canticle of the Creatures

From large installations to video art, from video mapping to immersive experiences. 'Advanced' forms of production and creativity hosted in a vast laboratory that promotes excellence in audiovisual and communication. Videocittà - the Festival of Vision and Digital Culture conceived by Francesco Rutelli with the creative direction of Francesco Dobrovich - returns to Rome for its eighth edition, taking place from 3 to 6 July in the Eni Complex of the Gazometro Ostiense.

The initiative, which has welcomed over 550 artists since 2018, including Oscar winners and winners of the Golden and Silver Lions at the Venice Biennale, celebrates in this edition the eight hundredth anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures by Saint Francis and focuses on the 'Sun' as a symbol of life, light, energy. The main attraction of the Festival, the large site-specific installation that will envelop the Gasometer G4, will be entitled 'Solar' and will be entrusted to the internationally renowned Roman artist Quayola. "Videocittà is, remains and will remain in the future an event of international interest", said Francesco Rutelli during the presentation of the program, adding that "we will have a special bond with Saint Francis. The sun will be the theme, because this year marks the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of Brother Sun, the Canticle of the Creatures. It seems to us that Rome should remember this universally".

Rutelli also focused on artificial intelligence, specifying that "there will be a debate within the talks. Videocittà seeks to be the place where creative visual experiences are presented, debated, discussed and even questioned in a transparent manner, which, if they use artificial intelligence, are subjected to public awareness".

At the heart of the event, highlighted the Councilor for Culture of Rome Capital, Massimiliano Smeriglio, is "a narrative of the city that I care a lot about". A narrative that highlights "its profound identity, with its places that are being transformed as in the Ostiense area, which comes into play with contemporary performing arts. Arts that allow us to place Rome on an international stage. A city, therefore, that must not remain seated on its heritage, which is gigantic, but must put it back into play".

"It is an extraordinary event that brings prestige to Rome and creates cultural opportunities for the entire Lazio region", said the regional director of Presidency Affairs, tourism, cinema, audiovisual and sports of the Lazio Region Paolo Giuntarelli. For Federico Mollicone, president of the Culture Commission of the Chamber, 'Videocittà has found the right key' by dedicating "to a theme so ancient, so high, so spiritual as the Catico delle Creature di San Francesco, a contemporary expression of visual art". The initiative has become "a national point of reference. The hope is that it can grow further" also becoming, in view of the creation of the Città dei Giovani in Ostiense by 2030, "a hub of video art, science and innovation".

Going into the details of the program, there is first of all a novelty to report: this year visitors will be able to choose a time slot to visit the installation with the obligation to show up 15 minutes before. The Plus and Plus Backstage tickets offer unlimited access and skip the line.

The opening, scheduled for Thursday 3 July, will be entrusted to fuse* with the Italian preview of 'Onirica () live', a generative performance between dream and artificial intelligence. On Friday 4 July, okgiorgio brings a show that has conquered European clubs, followed by the return of Max Cooper, one of the most acclaimed multimedia artists, who will present his new album On Being. There will also be a DJ set by Maneskin bassist Victoria De Angelis with audiovisual contributions curated by Videocittà, the result of the discovery of an intrinsic connection between the groove of her bass and the drums of the clubs.

On Saturday 5th July, it will be the turn of Caribou live with the new album 'Honey', followed by the international artist Ela Minus, who enchanted Coachella, Primavera Sound and Estéreo Picnic. Ascendant Vierge, a French avant-garde duo, will perform for the first time in Italy, while Camoufly, one of the most promising faces of electronics, will propose its original productions. On Sunday 6th July, the festival will end with Dardust in Urban Impressionism, an AV experience curated by Videocittà, in which the music of the well-known composer and producer meets the digital architectures of Franz Rosati. After the success of March at the Nuvola, Dardust proposes this show that transforms music into vision. During the sunset, in collaboration with Cam Sugar, the Cam Sugar soundsystem - Tropicale djset with Lorenzo Morresi will be presented, a project that combines dance, calypso, mambo, samba, electronic sounds, jazz and funk.

And also during the four days, a program of experimentation and discovery of new talents with Noémi Büchi, Canzonieri (AV premiere), Arrsalendo (AV premiere), Francesca Heart & Cielofuturo (AV premiere), Andrea Santicchia (AV premiere), Michele Di Martino (AV premiere), Luzai, Touchy Toy Collective, Livia Ribichini, Bi disc, the Electro Organic Orchestra, Jorrdan (Italian premiere), Bromo (in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in Italy), also on stage Québec Showcase co-presented by Videocittà and Mutek with the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec with the collective Myriam Bleau & Nien Tzu Weng, Mesocosm, Seulement.

At Terrazza G3, the exhibition dedicated to Video Art curated by Damiana Leoni and Rä di Martino will take shape. The Chinese artist LuYang will open on Thursday, July 3rd, for the first time in Rome, with his avant-garde technologies that immerse visitors in his material, videogame-like world through video, sculpture, light and sound. A mix of Japanese anime aesthetics, real and fictional scientific explorations, religious iconography and humorous imagery of the contemporary world emerges in his latest work entitled Doku – Digital Descending.

We continue on Friday 4 July with Lawrence Lek, a London-based artist of Chinese and Malaysian origins, best known for promoting the concept of Sinofuturism, with installations that explore spiritual and existential themes through the lens of science fiction. Winner of the Frieze Artist 2024 award, he was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the field of artificial intelligence. Saturday 5 July is the turn of Federica Di Pietrantonio, winner of the Videocittà Awards 2024 for the Videoart category.

For the 'Virtual reality experiences', curated by Anna Lea Antolini, the number of viewers increases to over 100 in this eighth edition, distributed in the dedicated areas for virtual adventures. In a national premiere, Ayahuasca - Kosmic Journey by Jan Kounen, an experience that, thanks to interactive technology, takes each user into the world of visions stimulated by the homonymous drink. The work is distributed by Diversion, which presents its VR cinema Diversion for the first time in Rome.

French artist Adelin Schweitzer, in collaboration with The Deletere Group, presents '#Alphaloop_VR', an interactive performance inspired by theories of cybernetic shamanism. Also from France, the young artist Jonathan Pepe, Resident XR of the Farnese-Medici 2024 program, with the Fisheye project. The partnership with Rai Cinema also returns, offering the Vr lounge with 'Nebula' by Omar Rashid, 'Aurora' by Luca Michele, and Re-Image 'Cabiria' by Mattia Arrigoni, who reinterprets the silent masterpiece by Giovanni Pastrone. Furthermore, Impersive presents three titles from its production: Saudi Dakar, Ocean Luna Rossa and Prada Dubai Mode, directed by Guido Geminiani.

On July 3, the main stage will host a major event, the first in a series of events dedicated to artificial intelligence: the screening of 'Eno', the first generative documentary on Brian Eno, a central figure in contemporary music and digital culture. Created and directed by Gary Hustwit, the film uses artificial intelligence to offer a different and unique version each time, composing an ever-evolving portrait of the famous musician and innovator. Following this, a space for in-depth analysis of the challenges and potential of AI, with the intervention of Simone Arcagni, who will officially inaugurate the Festival with Artificial intelligence among the myths of yesterday and today, and with the event 'Arte sette_Come ho imparare a non preoccuparmi e ad amare l'AI'.

The space dedicated to 'Talks' is confirmed as central to the program, and this year it is enriched with the review moderated by Nicolas Ballario, an authoritative voice in narrating contemporary art applied to the media. A moment of brilliant and transversal comparison on the evolution of digital language, in which the cutting reflections of comedians and content creators are intertwined with the analytical insights of the academic world. An investigation into contemporary communication, between irony, social criticism and the construction of new collective narratives.

Guests include some of the most incisive and recognizable voices on the contemporary scene: Luca Ravenna, with his subtle and generational humor; Caterina Guzzanti, master of authorial satire; Coolman Coffeedan, an international artist and creator with a visionary sense of comedy; Francesco De Carlo, who combines stand-up and social criticism in a lucid account of our present; and Fabio Celenza, known for his surreal dubbing of politicians and international celebrities.

Among the thematic talks, 'Best of Cose Belle' by Karim Bartoletti stands out, presented by Adci (Art Directors Club Italia), which celebrates the creative flair of contemporary advertising. With 'Lighting Design, Visual, Digital Culture', created in collaboration with the Master in Light Design at La Sapienza, the connections between light, space and digital culture are explored, with a design study signed by the students themselves and the panel 'Augmented Creativity: Art meets Ai' presented by One More Pictures, which investigates how Ai is redefining the boundaries of art and creativity.

'The Best Internet Ever' is not only a provocative title, but also an Exhibition curated by the Videocittà Communications Team, which presents the best of contemporary digital creativity, celebrating the evolution of digital languages ​​as tools capable of describing the present and anticipating future trends. The dynamic and immersive exhibition will take place on the Main Stage during stage changes, transforming the breaks between events into stimulating and inspirational spaces.

On display, works by some of the most influential and original content creators, who mix art, irony, activism, pop culture and visual storytelling. Among the artists involved: the irreverent aesthetics of Demi Jenkins, the digital worlds of Nina Nayko, the surreal humor of Travis Scotti, the viral phenomenon Retirement House, the aesthetic irony of Angelica Hicks, the poetic madness of Pupetti Tutti Matti, the skill of Jacob Grégoire, the energy of Peachyskaterr and the creativity of Daniel Coffman.

The first version of Co-Vision, a project conceived by Videocittà, directed by Guido Pietro Airoldi and curated by Anna Lea Antolini, co-financed by Europa Creativa, will be previewed at Videocittà. An Av/Talk installation that combines digital art, science and narration on Pinus pinea, a natural and cultural symbol of Rome. Simone Arcagni, Lorenza Liguori, Vincenzo Pizzi, and Delfina Stella will be involved.

To complete the project, three thematic talks of great importance: 'Pinus pinea from a botanical point of view' with Gian Marco Mapelli, expert in forest ecology and biodiversity; 'Pinus pinea in the history of art' with Cristina Giopp, art historian and curator of important international exhibitions; and 'Pinus pinea in Italian literature' with Edoardo Prati, writer and literary critic, who with his unique approach explores the connection between nature and the word in the literary tradition.

Videocittà promotes culture as a transformative tool, with educational partnerships aimed at new generations. This year too, the Festival welcomes the participation of the Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome, protagonist of two special events that bring fashion, technology and creativity into dialogue: an interactive video mapping directed by Lorenzo Raffi, which will offer an engaging visual experience, exploring design, retrogaming and fashion and a fashion show of the best 2024/25 collections that will dialogue with the Machinezero installation. The students of the IED International Master in Arts Management will also contribute to the production of the festival, supported by volunteers from the Rossellini Institute, for a training experience in the field. The Sae Institute will present an installation with Riccardo Giovinetto and performance activities, while the Naba will propose motion graphic installations created by the students.

Agorà 2025, the professional format of Videocittà coordinated by Guido Pietro Airoldi, is renewed and expanded, confirming its role as a European hub for the digital and audiovisual industry. Born to connect the Italian cultural and creative ecosystem with the international scene, Agorà has generated over 1,000 B2B meetings in just a few years, involving more than 1,200 participants and hosting delegations from over 15 countries. The 2025 edition strengthens its strategic identity by becoming a true growth platform for artists, professionals and stakeholders, integrated into the heart of the Festival and built on two key days – 2 and 3 July – dedicated to networking, pitches and training.

By purchasing the Plus ticket, participants will have access to exclusive content, personalized itineraries, thematic workshops, studio visits and meetings with emerging and established artists. Thanks to the support of the Maeci and the collaboration with Ice, a selection of international buyers from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries and Europe will be present. Among the expected guests are Irini Mirena Papadimitriou, curator of the revolutionary Diriyah Art Futures program, and the architect Amedeo Schiattarella, who signed the project; alongside them, Suzanne Ball of CodAworx, a reference platform for public and integrated art and finally the patron Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, founder of Art D'Egypte.

From July 3 to 6, with the opening of the Expo, Agorà Night comes to life: a widespread and interactive exhibition that transforms the Gazometro into a constantly changing visual landscape, where the public can discover, through a personalized path, the most talented Italian creatives in the sector. A true focus on digital culture and the sector that opens up to the world, designed to connect, inspire and generate new visions.

To anticipate the festival, on Friday 20 June at Palazzo Doria Pamphilj in Valmontone, 'A special preview' entrusted to the multidisciplinary studio Machinezero. Made up of experts in digital creativity and emerging technologies, it won the 'Videocittà Awards 2024' and will create a site-specific installation in collaboration with the Valmontone Cultural Hub, supported by DiSCo Lazio and curated by Videocittà which will then be remodeled and presented inside the Gazometro G3 during the days of the festival.