A shadowy striptease and a roller coast of lights? Must be the annual RomaEuropa festival

By Alexa Magdalenski

ROME, Nov. 14- How can an exhibit force us to think about our own feelings about art and the world, yet leave us utterly confused?

This is exactly what Swedish artist Christian Partos art does in his exhibit, Partos 10, taking place from now until Nov. 21 at Rome's Palazzo Fendi. 

Partos uses mediums like light, shadows, and water and combines them with technology to create his own style of art. The pieces range from a portrait of Adam and Eve formed by air and dust to a giant roller coaster of lights to a striptease show with shadows. 

The exhibit, part of the annual RomaEuropa Festival, spans an entire floor of the grand Palazzo Fendi, a setting that contrasts with the flashiness of the neon lights and sharp designs and creates an edgy work of art in itself.

Today was the first day the exhibit opened to the public. Tour guides were available to explain each piece in greater detail.  One such guide, Lavinia Rocchi, did not speak much English, but she was able to describe Partos’ work in a language anyone could understand: “really strange, but very cool,” she said.

Romaeuropa Festival, a cultural experience covering music, dance, theater, and other visual arts until Dec. 15 across various city venues. 

The festival aims at exploring modern expression through original art works, integrating traditional art forms with setting, the human body and technology. Artists from New York to Rome to Singapore are contributing to this experience.   

Some upcoming events for the festival include a jazz-techno concert, interpretative dance shows, comedic sketches, vocal performances of all musical genres, and even a reading of “Moby Dick.”

Undoubtedly, modernity, heritage, and creativity are combined to form a unique experience for all tastes in art no matter what venue, exhibit, or performance is chosen.   

For a full program of exhibits, please visit the Romaeuropa Festival programme here.