IED's exhibition project arrives at Rome's Mattatoio as part of the Ultra REF programme. The opening event on 23 October will also host the announcement of the winners of the IED Roma Design Awards 2026.
Pathos Formulas: Images, Memory and Transformation at Romaeuropa Festival
Date
16 October 2026
Following its debut in Florence during Pitti Uomo, Pathos Formulas arrives in Rome as part of the Romaeuropa Festival 2026, bringing to the spaces of the Mattatoio a collective reflection on the power of images, cultural memory and the transformations shaping our time.
The project takes inspiration from the concept of Pathosformel developed by art historian Aby Warburg, according to which images, gestures and symbols survive across time, moving through different eras and contexts while continuing to convey emotions and meanings. Building on this idea, the exhibition explores the relationship between cultural memory and contemporary imaginaries, connecting archives, research and creative practices.
Curated by Francesca Gavin, Editor-in-Chief of EPOCH Review and Visual Arts Director at Murmur, Pathos Formulas brings together the work of 17 students from IED campuses across Italy and Spain. The project emerges from the encounter of diverse disciplines, ranging from Fashion Design and Photography to Graphic Design, Video Design and Sound Design, creating a collective journey in which different languages and methodologies intersect and enrich one another.
For its Roman edition, the exhibition will present a selection of four research clusters developed within the project. Installations, editorial materials, images and narrative devices will guide visitors through a journey that places the creative process and interdisciplinary dialogue at its core, offering tools to interpret the complexity of the present and envision new perspectives for the future.
The programme will culminate with the free-admission opening event on Thursday, 23 October, when the three winners of the IED Roma Design Awards 2026 will be announced. The awards recognise the best final thesis projects of the academic year and celebrate emerging talent, while sharing with the public the results of research paths that bring together design, culture and innovation.
Pathos Formulas
22–25 October 2026
Mattatoio Roma
Piazza Orazio Giustiniani 4, Rome
Opening Event & IED Roma Design Awards 2026 Announcement
23 October, 8:30 PM
Free admission, subject to availability.
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