DAI Tour – Identity, Memory, Boundary

A walking art tour in the heart of historic Garbatella
Duration: 2 hours
Curated by Patrizia Genovesi
With the participation of Spiritree and Sandra Gianesini

The tour takes place within the framework of DAI – Distretto Arte Immagine, a network of galleries and independent spaces born in the historic district of Garbatella, a neighborhood deeply connected to urban identity and visual culture.

It begins at Open Studio Gallery, curated by Patrizia Genovesi, located in Via di Villa Belardi 18. The gallery is a space for interdisciplinary research in art, image, and thought. Visitors will experience IDENTITY, a multimedia installation that explores the theme of identity through three interconnected sections: Architectures: the Garden City, New Forms of Living, and Algorithmic Identity. The exhibition blends photography, video, sound narration, and interactive elements, bridging urban space, contemporary design, and the digital self.

The tour continues at Spiritree, a workshop active since 1987, founded by Carol Hendrickson and Marco Giammetti, combining visual arts, mask theatre, and papier-mâché sculpture. The exhibition “Borders” reflects on the boundaryas both limit and possibility, and on art as a barrier against hate and oppression. Spiritree is also a place for learning and co-creation through shared artistic practices.

Final stop: the atelier of Sandra Gianesini, a Swiss artist based in Rome. Her exhibition, "Intrecci", explores the link between memory and future through fragmented landscapes and woven paper forms, transformed into living material. A sensory and poetic journey.

The tour takes place on foot, among courtyards, stairways and symbolic spaces of Garbatella. An opportunity to experience the neighborhood as a place of art, memory, and identity-building.

Details

 Meeting point: 6:15 PM in front of Open Studio Gallery, Via di Villa Belardi 18, Rome

www.patriziagenovesi.com

 Info: openstudiogallery.pg@proton.me

DAI

In the heart of Garbatella, a historic Roman neighborhood founded in the early 20th century based on the garden city model, DAI – District of Art and Image comes to life as a project that weaves together urban memory and contemporary creativity. In a community of over 43,000 residents, Garbatella has evolved into a vibrant cultural ecosystem, becoming a hub for artists, galleries, universities, and a lively evening scene.

DAI emerges organically from this fertile ground, responding to a cultural vocation already embedded in the social and architectural fabric of the area. By connecting many of the neighborhood’s art galleries, the District fosters visual culture through collective projects, widespread exhibitions, and partnerships between independent spaces and institutions.

But DAI is more than just a container: it is a driving force, a catalyst for both local and international initiatives, engaging the public and opening new dialogues between artists and audiences.

Echoing the spirit of the original Garbatella – envisioned as a human-centered ideal city – DAI renews that vision, transforming art into a tool for cohesion, identity, and openness. A dynamic platform where image becomes a shared language and the neighborhood itself turns into an open-air gallery.