Il Muro Dipinto (facciate dipinte del borgo di Dozza)

Since 1960, Dozza’s Biennale del Muro Dipinto has turned the historic centre into an open-air collection of contemporary art. More than one hundred works cover façades, streets and squares, with invited artists adding new paintings to the village’s architectural fabric every two years.

Why it matters

Il Muro Dipinto is a long-running public-art project built into the streets of Dozza. Its changing collection keeps a record of contemporary art in a historic setting, where compositions meet the stonework, windows and other features of the buildings they occupy.

What to notice

The murals vary in scale and style, from works that incorporate doors and cornices to larger compositions on the village’s squares and lanes. Documentation of earlier editions is preserved in the Centro Studi e Documentazione del Muro Dipinto in the Rocca. Frescoes removed from exposed walls for conservation are also displayed within the Rocca museum.

Context and history

The biennial began in 1960, growing from extemporaneous painting events into a continuing programme of invited artists working directly on Dozza’s walls. The Fondazione Dozza Città d’Arte, established by the municipality in 2003, organizes the biennial and manages the Rocca museum and Enoteca Regionale. In alternate years the village also hosts FantastikA, an illustration event focused on fantastic art.