Überlagerungen (IPER Festival of the Peripheries)

Überlagerungen: Art layered within the Quadraro

Überlagerungen — a German word meaning "superimpositions" — is a widespread art event that brings the Quadraro Vecchio to life. This is one of the most distinctive neighborhoods in the historic periphery of Rome, in the Lazio region. Curated by the Spazio Y association under the artistic direction of Paolo Assenza, the event is an integral part of the IPER Festival of the Peripheries, the major city-wide festival produced by the Museum of the Peripheries under the direction of Giorgio de Finis.

The theme: Layers of time and memory

The title says it all: Überlagerungen works with the concept of stratification. The Quadraro becomes a living surface where artists and cultural practitioners intervene, revealing layers of time, traces, and perceptions that settle without hierarchy, creating unexpected meanings. The neighborhood, with its anti-fascist memory, working-class roots, and recent street art scene, is the perfect stage for a discourse on the identity of urban margins.

A widespread route through streets and local venues

For an afternoon and evening, from 4 PM to 11 PM, the public is invited to explore the streets of Quadraro Vecchio, following an itinerary of installations, performances, and exhibitions. The works are not concentrated in a single location but are distributed among independent spaces, workshops, and local venues, turning daily life into a stage. Participating venues include the Kina space, the Moggio wine bar, the Grandma osteria, the Bar Pasticceria Bianca, and the historic headquarters of Spazio Y.

The artists

The event brings together numerous artists and collectives from the contemporary Roman and national scene, including Carmelo Baglivo, Lucia Bricco, Giulio Cassanelli, Elena Cucci, Luca Grechi, Felice Levini, Nicolas Martino, Flavio Orlando, Cristiana Pacchiarotti, Clarissa Secco, Silvia Spoti, and Nadia Vallino, alongside groups such as PrimaLinea Studio, LoSpizio, ME(a)LS Duo, and Studio 54. The project is overseen by a team of curators who guide the public in interpreting the works.

Part of the IPER Festival of the Peripheries

Überlagerungen is one of the many voices of the IPER Festival of the Peripheries, which in 2026 reaches its fifth edition with the theme "Super Lieux. Peripheries: stories and geographies." While awaiting the completion of the permanent headquarters of the Museum of the Peripheries, the festival adopts a widespread format that traverses all of Rome, from the center to the outermost districts, to make a museum still under construction "appear." With Überlagerungen, the Quadraro serves as one of its most vibrant outposts.

Why it's worth visiting

• A free, open-air immersion in contemporary art, far from traditional museum circuits.
• The chance to discover Quadraro Vecchio, a historic Roman working-class neighborhood rich in street art.
• A direct dialogue between artworks, independent spaces, and the local community.