Vivian Maier. The Exhibition - Ugo Nespolo. Pop Air

For the first time since its foundation in the 1930s, the Istituto Storico e di Cultura dell’Arma del Genio reopens its doors to the public. More than 4,000 square metres have been returned to the city, transformed into a vibrant cultural centre where history and contemporary art meet in perfect harmony.

Marking the beginning of this new chapter for the Museo del Genio are two captivating exhibitions: “Vivian Maier. The Exhibition”, dedicated to the legendary American photographer on the centenary of her birth, and “Pop Air” by Ugo Nespolo, unveiled in its national premiere and featuring the artist’s monumental sculptures.

Within the renewed spaces of the Museo del Genio, works by Nespolo – one of Italy’s most versatile and brilliant artists – welcome visitors into a colourful and playful journey, where pop language meets the elegance of form in an iconic, site-specific selection of his pieces. A multifaceted and ever-curious creator, Nespolo plays with materials, eras and styles, reinterpreting sculptural tradition with a lively, contemporary gaze. “Pop Air” thus marks the official debut of these revitalised spaces, offering an immersive encounter between art and architecture.

Running alongside it, “Vivian Maier. The Exhibition”, curated by Anne Morin, invites visitors on an intimate and powerful journey through the world of the mysterious nanny-photographer who transformed street photography. More than two hundred of her most striking and iconic images poetically capture the everyday life of cities, revealing the hidden humanity behind anonymous faces in the crowd.

Conceived by Vertigo Syndrome and realised in collaboration with diChroma Photography, the exhibition is produced and organised by Arthemisia, which also oversees the overall production of the project.

With this double inauguration, the Museo del Genio embraces a new identity: a place of memory and encounter, a bridge between past and present, a living space devoted to culture and research. A special opportunity for citizens, scholars, enthusiasts and visitors of all ages, in the very heart of Rome.

The initiative is promoted by the Ministry of Defence, the Italian Army, and Difesa Servizi, the Ministry’s in-house company dedicated to the enhancement of public assets, with the patronage of the Lazio Region and the production by Arthemisia.

Cover image: Vivian Maier, Self-Portrait