Some of the more interesting voices from the world of international art – featuring in a series of five exhibitions – will be the protagonists in the forthcoming programme of the new MACRO – the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma – which is to be extended by French architect Odile Decq in a project due to finish in 2005. Presenting the programme and an update on the design project in Rome last week was director Danilo Eccher who sees it as a “contemporary laboratory which can create links with other museums in Rome, open to interaction between different languages”.

To the existing 4500 square metres of floorspace will be added a further 10 000 which will be divided between galleries, spaces for holding events and showing video art, lecture theatres, reading room, library, bookshop and restaurant. An additional 2500 square metres of garden-terrace will be used for open air exhibitions and a new car park.

Whilst all this is due to happen over the next three years, the cultural programme however kicks off immediately making use of two converted areas from the ex slaughterhouse. The first of these will feature Tony Oursler – who will be showing around forty video installations -, the project “Panorama” dedicated to two young artists, a homage to Rome with the legendary photographs of Claudio Abate (1965-75), projections by Francesco Vezzoli, Vanessa Beecroft and Alessandra Tesi and finally the museum’s permanent collection presented in the exhibition “Ipotesi di collezione” which covers Arte Povera and Transavanguardia.