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Home Italy Travel and Street ArtCentral Italy Street ArtLazioRome Travel and Street ArtEastern RomeAnother Rome || Alessandrino Tor Pignattara’s underrated beauty and other stories
Another Rome || AlessandrinoAnother Rome || Prenestino-CentocelleAnother Rome || Prenestino-LabicanoArtStreet Art

Tor Pignattara’s underrated beauty and other stories

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tor pignattara, romeDo you remember when I stated that Tor Pignattara’s beauty is underestimated?
I was so enthusiastic after my latest tour around this multi-ethnic hood that I couldn’t wait to plan further explorations!
When I read about Diavù’s new murals at Ex-Cinema Impero and Aakash Nihalani’s first Italian solo show at Wunderkammern Art Gallery I knew it was the perfect occasion to go back to Tor Pignattara!
Tor Pignattara, Rome
Tor Pignattara, Rome
I was really happy to have both some friends and a fellow urban explorer (who I met through this blog! Yey!) coming with me, it is always so nice to share the amusement of discovering something for the very first time, especially in our own town.
Tor Pignattara, Rome
Tor Pignattara, Rome
We met in front of the Ex-Cinema Impero (via dell’Acqua Bulicante 121) where the street artist Diavù (who happens to be also the curator of M.U.Ro. project) recently painted four portraits of movie stars born or professionally grown in this neighborhood: Pier Paolo Pasolini, Anna Magnani, Mario Monicelli and the Citti brothers.
 
Diavù street art ex-cinema impero rome
 
This street art intervention is aimed to drag general attention towards the future of the cinema; pretentiously built during the Fascism era (it even has a clone in Asmara, which at that time was part of the Italian colony), the building is abandoned since the ‘70s; but Tor Pignattara inhabitants never abandoned the idea of re-open it, making it the biggest cultural centre of the area. Neighbors’ plans include a cinema open 16 hours a day, an area to produce different kinds of independent art works, voluntary associations’ offices, a bookshop and several workshop areas.
diavù street art rome ex-cinema impero
 
It was still too early to go to the art gallery, so we headed to the local park to enjoy some authentic vibes of Tor Pignattara’s lively Saturday afternoon: kids playing with the ball, lovebirds, teenagers acting as gangsters, old people enjoying warm sunshine… and I even spotted some colored walls!
tor pignattara, rome
tor pignattara, rome
tor pignattara, rome, graffiti, street art
tor pignattara, rome, graffiti, street art
 
tor pignattara, rome, graffiti, street art

When the Wunderkammern Art Gallery opened, I entered with a pretty curious mind ‘cause Aakash Nihalani’s ironic latest works in Los Angeles and in New York really intrigued me (especially the “Sum Times” series).

Of course, “Vantage” is a gallery exhibition, and so both sizes and tones are totally different from the ones he uses in the streets.
Aakash Nihalani’s first Italian solo show at Wunderkammern Art Gallery rome
Aakash Nihalani’s first Italian solo show at Wunderkammern Art Gallery rome
Aakash Nihalani’s first Italian solo show at Wunderkammern Art Gallery rome
Aakash Nihalani plays with your mind through geometrically-designed visual effects, using canvas mostly as supports, pieces of a bigger tricky game, rather than just a surface to paint on. He is using bright colors against black or white big shapes, building geometrical paths which irrationally cross each others, playing with the concept of movement itself.
Aakash Nihalani’s first Italian solo show at Wunderkammern Art Gallery rome
Aakash Nihalani’s first Italian solo show at Wunderkammern Art Gallery rome
If you still prefer his street art works as I do, look for Aakash Nihalani’s big mural on via Alessi (just a few blocks from the art gallery); it keeps up Wunderkammern’s appreciable tradition to involve its current guest artist into some amazing street art mural for the neighborhood (wondering around Tor Pignattara you also find some C215’s art works!).
 
Aakash Nihalani - Tor Pignattara, Rome street art graffiti
Aakash Nihalani – Tor Pignattara, Rome
C215 – Tor Pignattara, Rome
After the exhibition, we went admiring Richard Meier’s Jubilee Church at Tor Tre Teste neighbourhood, a beautifully designed modern church built in an infamous hood by one of the greatest architect of our time. Interiors are very simple, while the outer part is all shining glasses and very expensive white cement. I really liked the architecture, but ultimately I recognize that it is a cathedral in the desert…
Richard Meier's Jubilee Church at Tor Tre Teste rome
Richard Meier's Jubilee Church at Tor Tre Teste rome
 
All this walk made us hungry!
And so we stopped in Centocelle neighborhood for an aperitivo gourmet at DOL – Bottega del gusto, a restaurant serving local, high-quality products.
There we tasted local cheeses, cold cuts and home made pizza, together with a special bottle of white wine.
pro loco d.o.l. food rome centocelle restaurant
The venue is really cozy and relaxed, the food is great… we are so happy for our former work-mate who is currently working there and I am sure we will go back visiting him very soon!
pro loco d.o.l. food rome centocelle restaurant

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Aakash NihalaniDOL Bottega del GustoEx-cinema ImperoJubilee ChurchStreet Art in RomeTor PignattaraWunderkammern
Giulia BLocal street art travel
Giulia Blocal

I'm a writer who is specialised in street art and graffiti. Since 2011 I have run this independent street art blog, which has been the media partner of important street art festivals around Europe. I was the Communication & Content Manager of Amsterdam's STRAAT Museum and now I'm a freelance writer and content creator based in Rome. I work for creative enterprises and museums, and my writing was published in street art catalogues and art publications.

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About Me

About Me

Ciao, my name is Giulia. I'm a writer who is specialised in street art and graffiti. Since 2011 I have run this independent street art blog, which has been the media partner of important street art festivals around Europe. I was the Communication & Content Manager of Amsterdam's STRAAT Museum and now I'm a freelance writer and content creator based in Rome. I work for creative enterprises and museums, and my writing was published in street art catalogues and art publications.

Beyond the Walls: A Street Art Newsletter

Would you like to receive my stories, travel guides, and interviews straight to you inbox? Every 1st of the month, I will send you my latest articles along with more surprises!
It’s a more intimate and more direct way to connect with you than through social networks :) 

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BLocal | Street Art Travel Guides
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