Weeds Against Stones: Resistances
Marion Blake, Telesia. General type of pseudo opus reticulatum (Telese, Italy), 1947-1961, vintage print (American Academy in Rome, Photographic Collection).
This event is presented as part of the public programming for the exhibition Women and Ruins: Archaeology, Photography, and Landscape on show at the Academy until November 9, 2025.
The photographs in Women and Ruins record the spontaneous growth of weeds—dandelions, rocket, and capers—amongst classical and architectural ruins. The relationship with time established by the vegetal world and the vestiges of the past is one that fascinated artists throughout centuries. The persistence of nature in ruins is the focus of this participative workshop. Rather than offering a romantic and aesthetic appreciation of ruins and nature, we will discuss the hybrid formations, from trees in walls to caves with layered accumulations and the many anomalous plants and minerals that sprung in crevices of buildings.
Through a series of screenings, talks, installations, artworks, and performances we will draw links between the early twentieth century photographs of Gertrude Bell, the Bulwer sisters, Esther Van Deman, Marion Blake, and the work of contemporary architects and artists to display, reflect, and discuss the enduring relationship between ruins and nature and nature and ruins.
This event is made possible thanks to the support of the ENEL Foundation.
Participants include ENEL Italian Fellows: Francesca Berni (2021), Annalisa Metta (2017), Sabrina Morreale (2024), and Giovanna Silva (2019); 2026 Italian Fellow in Musical Composition Marta De Pascalis; 2026 Resident in Visual Arts Gala Porras-Kim; 1984 and 1987 Fellow in the History of Art Mirka Beneš; OGR Torino Curator Samuele Piazza; and artist, writer and filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria.
Gallery:
Sophia Al-Maria, Thirsty for Ruins, 2024, sound piece
Francesca Berni, Sedimenti, 2021 and Herbarium, 2021
Sabrina Morreale, Roman Foraging/Foraging Rome, 2025, Video loop 6’ 00’
Giovanna Silva, Roma Caput Mundi, 2025
Gala Porras-Kim, Rehearsal for Surveying the Ruins, 2017, Video loop 3’ 20’
Lecture Room:
6.05 - opening remarks by Ilaria Puri Purini
6.10–6.25 - Annalisa Metta, Everything Solid Melts into Air. Making Landscape and Impermanence
6.25–6.45 - Gala Porras-Kim, The Weight of a Patina of Time
6.45–7.05 - Mirka Beneš, The Hybrid Landscape of Ruins and Vigne in Rome
7.05–7.20 - Samuele Piazza, Living Collapse. Ruins as a Vocabulary for Italian Art
7.20–7.30 - Sabrina Morreale, Roman Foraging/ Foraging Rome
Cortile
7.30–9.00 - Aperitivo and viewing of Women & Ruins
8.00–8.45 - Marta De Pascalis, Sky Flesh², performance
A Zoom link is available to follow the talks online.
The event is free and open to the public.
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