The Social Value of Contemporary Art
Translated from Unfolding Roma
Interview with Caterina Arciprete, artist and founder of Art for Women Today, a collective female-driven project born from the need to leave an artistic testimony of women in contemporary history.
At the Beta Foundation on Via Giusti in Rome, the international artist collective Art for Women Today inaugurated an exhibition featuring a collection of limited-edition art prints created to support the initiatives of the Pianoterra Association in aiding vulnerable families. The project was founded by Caterina Arciprete, a Neapolitan artist who blends photography, painting/drawing, and writing to develop exhibitions and editorial projects in Italy and abroad. After studying and teaching at Rome’s IED (European Institute of Design), Arciprete published illustrated books and art books with Arte’m, Electa, Skira, and others. She splits her time between Italy and New York, where she lived for a period and collaborated with the international art collective TSB, participating in their festival. Today, her work is showcased in public and museum spaces. On the occasion of the Rome event, we met the artist, who—with her signature grace—shared insights into her ambitious project.
How did Art for Women Today come about?
The idea stemmed from bringing together extraordinary women who narrate the female universe through their unique languages, cultures, and backgrounds. Art for Women Today gives shape to the visual storytelling of lived experiences, of the intimate condition—consciously or unconsciously—that takes root in every woman, shaped by personal and social events encountered in her specific environment. It’s an honest snapshot of our time, with each artist developing their work in response to their individual and cultural callings. My greatest desire is to grow this collective into a reference point for all women artists who feel sidelined yet yearn to share their stories.
Can you elaborate on the social purpose of your artistic initiative?
I wanted contemporary art to transcend mere exhibition and embody social value, with support for others as our ultimate goal. This led to our collaboration with Pianoterra, an association founded in Naples in 2008 and now active in Rome and Castel Volturno, dedicated to assisting families in extreme vulnerability. Fittingly, at the Beta Foundation hosting us, we’re selling limited-edition prints by the collective’s artists, presented in elegant cases. All proceeds will go directly to Pianoterra’s initiatives.
Will the exhibition travel beyond Rome?
The project debuted last October in Stockholm. After Rome, we’ll move to Geneva, then bring the exhibition to Naples next November for an extra-MANN circuit spanning multiple sites and museums. The plan is to create a two-week festival featuring not just exhibitions but workshops and performances. We also aim to collaborate with schools and art academies to engage youth and promote civic education on women’s issues. We want this to become a reference point for men, too. In fact, we’ll include talented male artists in Naples who interpret who we are and what they see in us—a form of mutual respect education.
What unites the artists in this project?
They share incredible energy, passion, and an immediate willingness to participate, each with a powerful story to tell. Some work with material, abstract, or figurative art; others use performance—creating an explosion of joy. The flood of applications from artists of all ages, including those with emerging practices, makes me optimistic about the project’s growth. I’m also open to male participation. In fact, I already have a few in mind—inclusion is key.
Regarding your own art: what are you showcasing here?
I’m presenting two mediums. The first is a series of painted and graphic postcards born from my reaction to psychological violence I endured. As an artist, I began painting my story, then expanded it to include all female figures, reflecting a universal struggle for freedom. The second is a photo-painting series created with an Argentine dancer friend in New York. I photographed her performances, and through our dialogue, 16 works emerged, blending dance, painting, and photography to capture shared emotions.
Has your Neapolitan heritage influenced your work and creativity?
Absolutely. Our volcanic spirit always erupts with passion and enthusiasm. Add to that our fierce determination to overcome obstacles. Ciro Nesci, one of Pianoterra’s founders, moved me deeply when he said it was incredible to see a project I’d once only imagined materialize into reality.
Rosario Schibeci
