DAI Tour – Identity, Memory, Boundary
An art walk 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 Distretto Arte Immagine (DAI), a network of galleries and independent spaces born in the heart of historic Garbatella, a neighborhood deeply tied to urban identity and visual culture.

The journey begins at Spiritree, in Piazza Vallauri 5, an active workshop since 1987 founded by Carol Hendrickson and Marco Giammetti, combining visual arts, physical theatre, and papier-mâché sculpture. The exhibition “Boundaries”reflects on the boundary as both limit and possibility, on art as a barrier against hatred and domination. The Spiritree workshop is also a place of training and co-creation through shared artistic practices.

The second stop is the atelier of Sandra Gianesini, a Swiss artist based in Rome. Her exhibition “Entanglements”explores the connection between memory and future through fragmented landscapes and woven paper textures, transformed into living matter. A sensory and poetic journey.

The final stop of the tour will be the Open Studio Gallery of Patrizia Genovesi, in Via di Villa Belardi 18, a curatorial space and interdisciplinary research hub at the intersection of art, image, and thought. Here visitors will experience IDENTITY, a multimedia installation addressing the theme of identity through three sections: Architectures: the Garden City, New Forms of Living, and Algorithmic Identity. An immersive experience of photography, video, sound narration, and interaction, bringing into dialogue the urban landscape, contemporary design, and the digital vision of the self.

The tour unfolds on foot through the courtyards, housing blocks, and vistas of historic Garbatella — an opportunity to experience the neighborhood as a place of art, memory, and the construction of identity.

Details

Meeting point: 5:15 PM in front of Spiritree, Piazza Vallauri 5 – Rome
www.patriziagenovesi.comFor information: 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.