FOROF
The return of the
Contemporary Cultural Cafés
by FOROF
in collaboration with
La Setta dei Poeti Estinti
Fourth Event
Wednesday, 3 December 2025, 7:00 PM
Alda Merini: Love, the Asylum, and God
An extraordinary Silent Reading Party
dedicated to a great voice of 20th-century Italian literature
An invitation to immerse oneself in a dimension that unites
literature, archaeology, and contemporary art
Palazzo Roccagiovine
Foro Traiano, 1 – Rome
www.forof.it
Rome, 21 November 2025
Drawing inspiration from the cultural cafés of the early 20th century—such as the Cabaret Voltaire founded by Hugo Ball and Emmy Hennings, and the Bal Tic Tac, the first Futurist cabaret decorated by Giacomo Balla and inaugurated in Rome after World War I—up to the more recent Silent Reading Parties born only a few years ago in New York, the Contemporary Cultural Cafés of FOROF offer a stimulating moment in an incomparable place where archaeology enters into dialogue with contemporary art.
The Roman cultural and artistic space founded by Giovanna Caruso Fendi — home to the archaeological remains of the Basilica Ulpia and host to Italian and international artists with site-specific projects — is ready to welcome the fourth CCC event, confirming the three keywords that have driven each encounter so far: sociability, sharing, and intellectual exchange.
On 3 December 2025, in collaboration with La Setta dei Poeti Estinti, the Silent Reading Party experience will revolve around the figure of Alda Merini, the poet of the Navigli, and her reflections on love, madness, and spirituality.
Once again, participants are invited to leave their phones silent and aside, to read quietly their chosen novel, essay, or poetry collection—any text selected in relation to the event’s theme. A precious moment of silence will be preceded by a guided tour of the space and of the current exhibition, INFRASUPRA by Alicja Kwade.
This will be followed by an interpretative performance of selected poems curated by Emilio Fabio Torsello and Mara Sabia of La Setta dei Poeti Estinti. The final part of the evening will be dedicated to dialogue, with a moment of sharing the emotions and thoughts sparked by the readings, all sealed with a closing toast.
As Giovanna Caruso Fendi notes: “Some of the most important contemporary art movements were born over a cup of coffee, in places where people met, read, discussed, and ideas came to life: this is what happens in FOROF’s Contemporary Cultural Cafés. Culture is something to savour and share, which is why I wanted FOROF to be a place of cultural exchange to be lived fully with the active participation of the public.”
“The CCCs have become an integral part of FOROF’s cultural offerings, creating a positive social impact and shared value, in line with our status as a Benefit Corporation. Lastly, FOROF is delighted to open a new cycle of CCCs, once again collaborating with La Setta dei Poeti Estinti.”
“We are thrilled to continue with an evening of readings dedicated to Alda Merini in collaboration with FOROF and Giovanna Caruso Fendi,” says Emilio Fabio Torsello, founder of the literary project La Setta dei Poeti Estinti. “The Contemporary Cultural Cafés are an initiative capable of uniting the prestige of an archaeological site of great value, such as the one preserved at FOROF, with the beauty of poetry and literature, guiding each individual’s intimate sensibility towards new horizons.”
“Alda Merini’s poetry,” adds Mara Sabia, actress and poet, partner of La Setta dei Poeti Estinti, “fits perfectly with the theme chosen by FOROF for the new artistic season, as Merini—even within the extreme constraints of the asylum experience—was able to continue giving voice to her creativity, as the free and extraordinarily sensitive woman and poet that she was.”
LA SETTA DEI POETI ESTINTI
The idea of founding the literary circle La Setta dei Poeti Estinti was born in 2013, inspired by the film Dead Poets Society. It all began on social media with a Facebook page called La Setta dei Poeti Estinti and, over the years, it has become one of the most prominent literary communities in Rome and Italy, with more than 400K followers across several social media platforms. Since 2016, the project has promoted culture, art, and beauty by organizing gatherings dedicated to literature and authors in prestigious venues such as museums, historic palaces, and archaeological sites.
FOROF
FOROF is a unique cultural institution in Rome that promotes dialogue between archaeology and contemporary art, between history and experimentation, offering diverse services and an innovative cultural program. Founded by Giovanna Caruso Fendi in 2022, FOROF implements a novel model of cultural entrepreneurship aimed at generating a positive and lasting social impact, thanks to a program based on the idea of a place of culture and exchange in which past and present engage in conversation.
FOROF occupies the spaces of the historic Palazzo del Gallo di Roccagiovine, opposite Trajan’s Column at the Imperial Fora, and preserves—through an agreement with the Archaeological Superintendency of Rome—the coloured marble flooring of the Basilica Ulpia and the remains of its eastern apse (2nd century AD).
INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC
Admission by ticket purchase until all seats are filled.
(Please be punctual)
Ticket price: €18 full price | €15 for under-26s
From 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Foro Traiano, 1 – Rome
39 351 626 2553 | info@forof.it | www.forof.it
IG | FB: @forof.roma | @la_setta_dei_poeti_estinti