Obliqua – Languages of the Contemporary

A cultural device that crosses boundaries

Obliqua – Languages of the Contemporary is a two-year, transdisciplinary project conceived by Officine Fotografiche Roma, spanning the entirety of 2025 and 2026. The beating heart of the project is the historic venue at Via Giuseppe Libetta 1, in the Ostiense district, though it embraces the entire Municipality VIII of Rome with a regenerative and community-rooted vocation. Obliqua was born from a simple yet ambitious idea: to place photography in dialogue with other disciplines—live performance, dance, video, cinema, installations, and podcasts—to narrate and reinterpret the contemporary human landscape.

Five thematic axes, one single narrative

The program is organized into five major strands that intertwine over the two years: exhibitions, featuring leading figures of Italian and international photography; performances, where images, dance, and light installations merge into readings and live actions; podcasts, four series exploring the boundaries between photography, dance, cinema, comics, street art, and new languages; specials, featuring portfolio reviews and author evenings; and installations, which in 2026 explore the realms of immersion and transmedia.

Major exhibitions

Among the names that have defined Obliqua, Paolo Pellegrin stands out—one of the most internationally celebrated Italian photographers—as the protagonist of the Persona exhibition, curated by Annalisa D'Angelo and inaugurated for the twenty-fifth anniversary of Officine Fotografiche. The exhibition path has also hosted the work of Gabriele Stabile with The Flight of the Wild Goose and the reflections of Yolanda Cuomo, alongside screenings by workshop students and a collective exhibition dedicated to the Garbatella district.

Performances, podcasts, and installations

Obliqua is not just an exhibition schedule; it is a living ecosystem. The performances weave together dance and photography, video and light installations; portfolio reviews open a direct dialogue between emerging authors and professionals; special evenings—such as the one dedicated to Emiliano Mancuso—celebrate auteur photography. In 2026, the project pushes towards immersion with works like those by Studio AIRA!, a transmedia piece combining CGI and photogrammetry, and Liminal State, a multisensory immersive environment.

Rome, Ostiense, and Municipality VIII

Supported by Roma Capitale – Department of Culture as part of the public notice Roma Creativa 365. Culture all year round and created in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura, Obliqua fits into the vibrant cultural scene of Ostiense, the former industrial district of the Capital that has now become one of the most dynamic hubs for contemporary art and photography. Just a short walk from Garbatella and the Ostiense station, Via Libetta is now a reference point for those seeking the visual culture of the present in Rome. All events are free of charge and designed for an intergenerational audience, from students to enthusiasts, from young artists to the simply curious.