A surprising dialogue between the collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia and a selection of works from international and Italian Pop Art—ranging from Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein to Mario Schifano and Tano Festa.

The exhibition *Contemporaneità costante. Pop Art* (Constant Contemporaneity: Pop Art) has opened at the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia. It was promoted by the Syncretika – Art and Culture Foundation (ETS) in collaboration with the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia, with contributions from the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, support from the Aquileia Foundation, and the patronage of the Municipality of Aquileia. At the heart of the exhibition lies the universal human need to communicate through shared symbols and languages—a need that, in both ancient and contemporary times, finds expression in the creation of images, icons, and narratives capable of representing power, identity, and collective memory.

In the Roman world, imagery played a central role in building consensus: mass-produced imperial portraits, coins, commemorative reliefs, and public statues formed a pervasive and enduring visual system. Pop Art, which emerged in the second half of the 20th century, reactivates these same mechanisms through seriality, reproducibility, and the immediacy of the image, demonstrating how contemporaneity... ...is not a category exclusive to the present, but a recurring condition in human history.

"Juxtaposing 20th-century works with artifacts from the Roman era is not intended to highlight mere formal analogies," states Guido Comis, Director of the Miramare Castle Historical Museum and Park and of the Regional Directorate for National Museums, "but rather to prompt reflection on themes such as communication, image-making, the dissemination of symbols, and the enduring nature of certain visual codes across the centuries."

"The exhibition," adds Marta Novello, Director of the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia (MAN), "represents a significant opportunity for deeper insight—a chance to ask new questions and enrich the visitor experience while showcasing the extraordinary historical heritage of our museum. It serves as an ideal setting to explore the continuity of artistic languages ​​and art's capacity to interpret its own era."

Mario Anzil, Vice President and Regional Councillor for Culture, comments: "The exhibition 'Contemporaneity... "'Costante' represents a project of great cultural value because it demonstrates how our historical heritage can continue to engage in a dialogue with the present, offering new opportunities for knowledge and reflection. Linking the artifacts from the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia with Pop Art works means highlighting the extraordinary contemporary relevance of our history and confirming that culture is a living tool, capable of speaking to diverse audiences and new generations."

"Our support for the project," explains Roberto Corciulo, President of the Aquileia Foundation, "is part of the strategy to enhance archaeological heritage that the Foundation is pursuing, with the aim of strengthening Aquileia's role as a hub for research, innovation, and interdisciplinary dialogue. The interplay between archaeology and contemporary art offers an opportunity to provide new perspectives on interpreting heritage and to engage the public in a richer learning experience."

"The exhibition 'Contemporaneità' "Costante" – states Emanuele Zorino, Mayor of Aquileia – "confirms Aquileia as a place of cultural openness and innovation: a fruitful encounter between the ancient and the contemporary that enriches the cultural offering, fosters education, and generates value for the community and the local area. It is a project that creates a dialogue between the vitality of contemporary art and Aquileia’s archaeological heritage, revealing new perspectives and showcasing our legacy for present and future generations."

"Exhibiting in a prestigious and beautiful location like the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia," concludes Massimo Borgobello, President of the Syncretika Art and Culture Foundation (ETS), "is a great honor—one we embrace with a sense of responsibility and respect, as well as the awareness that our cultural and artistic initiatives are reaching the high standards of excellence we set for ourselves."

The exhibition winds its way through the museum, placing the artworks in dialogue with the artifacts on display; a section of the exhibition is also set up in the evocative, accessible storage areas....of the Museum. In the ground-floor galleries—populated by statues and effigies originally intended for public spaces—visitors encounter works that either celebrate or critically examine the images of contemporary figures; emblematic examples include Sergio Lombardo’s *De Gaulle*, Tano Festa’s *Cardinale*, and Mario Schifano’s *Omaggio a de Chirico*. Other works engage in a dialogue with the artifacts displayed in the rooms dedicated to the *domus* and to productive activities.

Set within the context of Aquileia—a city of extraordinary historical and cultural significance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the exhibition aims to highlight the National Archaeological Museum as a venue for research, interpretation, and cultural experimentation. Rather than overlapping with the permanent archaeological circuit, the exhibition runs alongside it, offering new ways to interpret the heritage through an exchange with the languages ​​of contemporary art. *Contemporaneità Costante. Pop art* thus invites visitors to recognize the ancient human as the same individual who inhabits the contemporary world—united by a shared need for images, symbols, and narratives through which to understand and represent their own experience across time.

The exhibition will be open to the public at the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia from July 10 to September 27, 2026, during regular opening hours (10:00 AM to 7:00 PM).