Rome, 17 December 2024 – MAIRE Group and Fondazione MAIRE-ETS are pleased to sponsor the editorial project In-genium. Gazes into technology past and future, presented at the Curia Julia, Rome’s ancient Senate house, inside the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum in Rome. A research project in collaboration with the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum that investigates the roots of ancient technology and its links with today's engineering skills, embracing the philosophical, semiotic, architectural as well as archaeological spheres, using the language of contemporary photography.

The photography book traces the history of téchne – the art of craftsmanship and knowledge – in works created by students and masters from the Accademie di Belle Arti of Brera, Catania and Rome, who took part in an experimental “artist residency” workshop in Rome coordinated by Carmelo Nicosia.

The planning genius of Nero’s Domus Aurea (designing); the harmony of the sacred and the beautiful with the Curia Julia and the Roman Forum (measuring); the water systems of the Horti Farnesiani, House of the Vestals, the Peltae Fountain and Cloaca Massima (channeling); the cement works at the Temple of Venus and Rome, and the methods of mixing natural pigments in the Rustic Mosaic (mixing); the underground hoist system at the Colosseum to lift the sets for each gladiatorial contest, and the technique of vertical construction of the sections of Trajan's Column (lift); and, lastly, the Domus Tiberiana, an example of “circular economy” (reuse): the volume published by SilvanaEditoriale contains all this and more.

The book opens with a sequence of powerful shots by Luca Campigotto, intersected with industrial landscapes of plants built by MAIRE from the company’s archive: a novel combination described in the introduction by Nunzio Giustozzi. Each section opens with an introduction combining philosophy and semiology edited by Ilaria Gaspari, and a fact sheet written by the archaeologists, architects and art restorers responsible for managing the different sites. The photographic journey creates a bridge between the technology of yesterday and today, and shows how the challenges of engineering apply to a sustainable future.

A selection of photographs will remain on display at the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum for the holiday season. The photography project has been transformed into a story in a podcast narrated by Jacopo Veneziani, curated by Chora Media.

“The In-genium project is a unique opportunity to tell the story of the interweaving of ancient ingenuity and contemporary innovation through the universal language of photography.  Working with MAIRE has allowed us to enhance iconic places in the Park, shedding new light on their symbolic value. This dialogue between past and future not only enriches knowledge of our past, but also stimulates reflections on how cultural heritage can inspire solutions for tomorrow's technological and sustainable challenges,” said Alfonsina Russo, Director the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum.

Fabrizio Di Amato, President of MAIRE and MAIRE Foundation, commented, “In-genium offers an opportunity to recount the past from a perspective that looks both at culture and technology as two sides of the same coin. The project was created in collaboration with MAIRE and the Archaeological Park in an ongoing dialogue envisaging a sustainable future. The technical knowledge of the ancient Romans was the foundation for many features of modern industry. I am particularly pleased with this collaboration and the contribution of photographers from the Italian Academies of Fine Arts: an opportunity for young talents to engage with the engineering questions of yesterday and today, and the future at the service of the energy transition. I am convinced that this project will be an inspiration to the humanist engineers we need and are already training for the future”.