Contemporary Art for Urban Regeneration in the Construction Sites of Rome

On the stage steeped in history that is Piazza Venezia, a new contemporary artwork has appeared. In the historic center of Rome, between Trajan’s Markets and the Capitoline Museums, an iconic square has been transformed into a major contemporary artwork exhibition.

This is the second installment of “Murales”, an artistic project that, starting in January and recurring every four months until 2026, brings six internationally renowned artists to create and showcase their artworks on the massive silos of the construction site where the Venezia Station—one of the central hubs of Rome’s Metro Line C — is currently under construction.

The project has been promoted by the consortium of companies building the line, led by Webuild and Vianini Lavori, under the patronage of the City of Rome and in collaboration with the relevant Superintendencies, with the aim of transforming this construction site of Rome into an opportunity for urban regeneration by leveraging the expressive power of contemporary art.

Following the debut of the first piece (“Constellations of Rome,” by Pietro Ruffo), the second installation was unveiled on April 14. Titled “We Rise by Lifting Others,” it was created by artist Marinella Senatore, who—like all others involved in the project—was selected by a Scientific Committee composed of representatives from some of Rome’s most prestigious cultural institutions, including the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Borghese Gallery, MAXXI, and the Palazzo delle Esposizioni.

Marinella Senatore has exhibited at the São Paulo Biennial, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Palais de Tokyo, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the High Line in New York, MAXXI in Rome, and in many other museums and galleries worldwide.

For the “Murales” project, the artist created a contemporary artwork centered around the theme of a hardworking community, expressed through one of the most powerful forms of collective expression and celebration of the human experience: theater.

Entitled “We Rise by Lifting Others,” the installation draws inspiration from the tradition of the baroque square, conceived as a place of festivity and sharing, where the global community finds its roots in the heart of the City of Rome. “In my work,” the artist adds, “Rome becomes the theatrical backdrop of a giant collage.”

The piece stretches across the 10 industrial silos inside this construction site of Rome, measuring 10 meters high and 64 meters long, for a total area of 640 square meters.

“The combination of art and infrastructure,” continues Marinella Senatore, “is particularly fruitful because it fosters a sense of community and interconnectedness on multiple levels.”

The Venezia Station construction site has thus become a stage for art, highlighting the role and importance of infrastructure as a means of modernization and urban revitalization that can deeply transform environments and communities. And Rome’s Metro Line C aims to represent exactly that for the Eternal City.

Currently operating across 19 kilometers with 22 stations, the line will gain two new stops next year: Colosseo-Fori Imperiali and Porta Metronia.

The ongoing extension works will allow Line C to traverse historic sites in Rome, beginning precisely at Piazza Venezia, which is set to become a strategic mobility hub for the Italian capital. In the meantime, within Rome’s construction sites, a space of collective participation and extraordinary beauty is taking shape.