Colosseo. Un’icona

«The Colosseum is not only a monument, a machination of brick and boulder: it is a beast. It reproduces; its formidable stone has a fierce, reddish-brown and carnal quality; it is wild, seemingly a thing out of the forest, standing still in wide open space, dazzled and silently furious».
Giorgio Manganelli, Il Messaggero, 1989

An iconic monument in the collective imagination, the Colosseum tells its own story in an exhibition spanning from the Caesars to this day: 12 sections arranged in chronological order reveal the historical and cultural influence of the amphitheater in the most diverse fields. From painting to architecture, entertainment, literature, sociology and politics: over time, the monument has become an outstanding symbol of eternity and power, civilization and culture.
The graphic identity of the exhibition offers an accurate visual transcription of the title, depicting history and tradition of the Flavian Amphitheater inside an unifying mark, an abstract symbol that refers to the building’s footprint. Rendered contemporary by repetition, the sign transforms into a mirror wall that reflects visitors at the entrance of the exhibition, while in the background the monument itself remains the protagonist.