Im Schlangenhain – 150 Jahre Serpentara | Festakt und Buchpräsentation

In the organizer's words:

In 1873, a group of artists spontaneously organized a rescue and fundraising campaign to prevent the impending deforestation of the "Serpentara" (snake grove), an oak forest in the small mountain town of Olevano Romano to the east of Rome, where the JUNGEN AKADEMIE's Italian artist residency is located today. September 2023 marked the 150th anniversary of the successful crowdfunding. An anniversary celebration has already taken place in Olevano Romano with guests from Germany and Italy. Now the preservation of this special place is also being celebrated at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the Akademie der Künste has used the "Villa Serpentara" as a residence for artists. The residency scholarships are supervised by the JUNGEN AKADEMIE, in cooperation with the German Academy of Rome Villa Massimo on site.

To mark the anniversary, the Akademie der Künste is hosting an artistic evening with readings, performances and concerts as well as a small exhibition by Serpentara scholarship holders to evoke stories and memories of this place, which has served as a place of inspiration and retreat for many generations of artists.

The book Im Schlangenhain / Nella Serpentara (edited by Clara Herrmann and Anneka Metzger on behalf of the Akademie der Künste), which was developed with artists and art historians to mark the anniversary, will also be presented as part of the celebration.

The program of the ceremony includes artistic contributions by, among others

Moshtari Hilal, visual artist and writer, Villa Serpentara Fellow of the Visual Arts Section (2023)

Terézia Mora, writer, member of the Literature Section of the Academy of Arts, Villa Serpentara Fellow of the Literature Section (2002) and Villa Massimo Rome Prize winner (2006)

Sarah Nemtsov, composer, member of the Music Section of the Academy of Arts, Villa Serpentara Fellow of the Music Section (2011)

Prince Gholam, visual artist, Villa Serpentara scholarship holder of the Fine Arts Section (2009) and winner of the Art Prize of the Fine Arts Section of the Academy of Arts (2019) and Rome Prize winner Villa Massimo (2020/21)

The rescue of the Serpentara. Reading from historical letters and documents from the archive of the Academy of Arts, with Inger-Maria Mahlke, writer, Villa Serpentara scholarship holder of the Literature Section 2019, and other speakers

More information:

The history of Villa Serpentara

The current and former Villa Serpentara scholarship holders

In German and Italian language

Price information:

Reservations are requested