MAXXI
Discovering MAXXI
The art and architecture of the XXI century under one single roof
Andrea, first things first, what is MAXXI?
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The MAXXI (Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo) is the National Museum of 21st Century Arts and Architecture, based in Rome. MAXXI is definitely a "must" of your visit to Rome, because it is the most contemporary museum in Italy. It was designed by the late Anglo-Iraqi Zaha Hadid, one of the most renowned international "archistars".
For an average visitor like me who doesn’t know much about art or architecture, is MAXXI worth a visit? And why?
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Absolutely! For the following reasons:
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1. The museum is amazing, architecturally significant and aesthetically beautiful.
2. Art is made not only for academic purposes: to appreciate beauty one doesn’t need not be an expert in art or architecture, but only to be awake and curious enough to recognize it.
3. The building is an exceptional example of Zaha Hadid’s legacy; in this case she managed to merge the old military barracks, a building from the last century, with the new building, creating one of the most contemporary places in Rome today.
4. The MAXXI complex has a perfect fusion with the old neighborhood of Flaminio, which was built in 1911 and is currently an area of ​​vibrant artistic life. MAXXI is connected via the beautiful “Ponte della Musica” (Music’s bridge, built in 2011 by the London studio Buro Happold) with the Auditorium “Parco della Musica” (Music’s Park, built by another "archistar", Renzo Piano). MAXXI has managed to create a new block, where inhabitants have now a new area for recreation, since before people never had a space for their children to play or socialize until the creation of the complex which achieved a contemporary and friendly atmosphere.
Tell me a little bit about the contemporary art collection inside the museum.
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The permanent collection is good, although it is very small for the size and magnificence of the museum. It includes works by artists such as Alighiero Boetti, Francesco Clemente, William Kentridge, Mario Merz, or young contemporary artists like Pietro Ruffo. However, I think that the most interesting part is the museum itself. Take for example the beautiful black stairs, balanced proportions and efficient showrooms.
So, now we know that the MAXXI is an iconic part of contemporary art and architecture in Italy, a place to visit during any journey to the Eternal City. It blends seamlessly with its surroundings and is close to the Tiber river and other interesting places to visit.