MAXXI L'Aquila, a new contemporary art museum under the management of the Rome Museum, is set to open in the earthquake-ravaged city of L'Aquila on October 30. First announced by the Italian government in 2015, the museum is intended to act as a 'rebirth' for the city of L'Aquila which was left devastated by a 2009 earthquake that claimed the lives of 309 people. The project, stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now set to open.
The L&rsquoAquila gallery is housed in an 18th-century Baroque building which was formerly the home of the culture ministry. The building which had been severely damaged in the earthquake was fully restored by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism. The project had come to life in 2016 when the Italian government announced the funding of 30 million Euros to complete the restoration L&rsquoAquila&rsquos medieval walls, cathedral and Santa Maria Paganica church, helping the city rise back to becoming a cultural centre.
Works by renowned artists including Elisabetta Benassi, Daniela De Lorenzo, Alberto Garutti, and Nunzio, along with images by the Italian photojournalist Paolo Pellegrin and the Paris-based photographer and video artist Stefano Cerio will be on display at the museum. The new MaXXI outpost in L&rsquoAquila will also house a small collection drawn from the main museum in Rome, comprising works by acclaimed artists.