By Helen Shih
Anish Kapoor, "Widow" (courtesy of Anish Kapoor Studio)
Rome is the home of classical art and architecture such as the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel, but its art scene is changing as the city attempts to modernize itself. Several years ago, Richard Meier updated the Roman architectural landscape with the Ara Pacis Museum. The structure was built over an existing building that houses the Ara Pacis Augustae, a sacrificial altar dating to 9 B.C.
Rome’s latest venture, the Maxxi, or the National Museum of the XXI Century Arts, is the city’s first national museum of contemporary art. No relics lie in Maxxi, where Zaha Hadid’s flowing lights and staircases wind through the space ensconced in concrete. The debut collection includes work from artists such as Gilbert and George, William Kentridge, and Gerhard Richter. Not to be missed is Anish Kapoor’s 2004 sculpture “Widow,” a 15 meter long black tube consisting of PVC coasted polyester fabric that flares out like a horn. (more…)
