Roman Forum hosts The Greeting from 11 October 2026
Published on 10/18/2026 at 02:36 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Roman Forum hosts The Greeting by Bill Viola from 11 October 2026 to 6 February 2027, bringing a contemporary video installation to Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome. The archaeological setting places the work inside one of the city’s oldest public and religious landscapes.
The installation is presented as a tribute to Pontormo and forms part of the current programme of the Colosseum Archaeological Park. The Italian name of the site is not used here because the established English name identifies the location for international visitors.
The Greeting brings Bill Viola to the Roman Forum
The official programme of the Colosseum Archaeological Park lists The Greeting by Bill Viola as an exhibition from 11 October 2026 to 6 February 2027. The venue is Santa Maria Antiqua, a church complex within the archaeological area.
The work was created for the United States Pavilion at the 1995 Venice Biennale. In Rome, it is presented in relation to Pontormo and to the Byzantine and early medieval frescoes preserved inside the church. The combination connects video art with a layered architectural setting rather than placing the work in a separate modern gallery.
The date and venue are confirmed by the park’s official exhibition listing, which names Santa Maria Antiqua and the exhibition period. The same page describes the installation as a work by Bill Viola and links it directly to the Roman Forum.
Santa Maria Antiqua adds an older layer to the exhibition
The Roman Forum began taking shape in a valley that was reclaimed in the late seventh century BCE. It developed into the centre of public life, with political, religious, commercial and judicial buildings added over many centuries.
Santa Maria Antiqua is one of the surviving religious structures within that archaeological landscape. Its frescoes preserve Byzantine and early medieval decoration, giving the installation a setting shaped by several periods of Roman history. The result is a meeting between a moving image and painted surfaces that remain part of the historic building.
The wider historic centre, including the Roman and Imperial Forums, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property for Rome. Its official description identifies the area as an archaeological landscape integrated into the modern city and records monuments from antiquity alongside later religious and civic buildings. This status helps explain why the exhibition is experienced as part of a protected historic ensemble, not simply as a temporary gallery display.
Visiting Roman Forum: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Greeting is on view from 11 October 2026 to 6 February 2027 at Santa Maria Antiqua within the Roman Forum archaeological area.
- The exhibition is inside the archaeological park and forms part of the visitor route that includes the Roman Forum and its associated monuments. Access arrangements follow the park’s current rules.
- The site is in central Rome between the Capitoline Hill and the Colosseum. Visitors can use the entrances at Largo della Salara Vecchia, the Arch of Titus and Via di San Gregorio, subject to the access route operating on the day.
- The terrain includes ancient paving, changes in level and uneven surfaces. The park states that its archaeological structures mean that some areas are not fully accessible despite ramps, lifts and other accessibility measures.
Searching for Roman Forum on social platforms
These links open searches for Roman Forum on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Roman Forum
When does The Greeting take place at the Roman Forum?
The exhibition runs from 11 October 2026 to 6 February 2027 at Santa Maria Antiqua.
Where is the Roman Forum and how do you get there?
The archaeological area is in central Rome, between the Capitoline Hill and the Colosseum, with entrances including Largo della Salara Vecchia and Via di San Gregorio.
What is the Roman Forum?
It is an archaeological area that developed as the centre of public life in ancient Rome and now forms part of the historic centre included in the UNESCO World Heritage property.
