IMAF 2026 names seven video installations for Rome show

Italia Media Art Festival has selected seven video installations from 31 Open Call submissions for its third edition, with the exhibition set for Rome on Nov. 20-22, 2026. The festival says the curated lineup reflects a more selective approach to media art and will be part of its first major international exhibition.

Why it matters: - The selection sets the core lineup for IMAF 2026’s video installations program and signals a more selective curatorial approach. - Seven works were chosen from 31 proposals, a 22% acceptance rate that reflects both competition and tighter curation. - The festival is building its first major international exhibition dedicated to media art, with Rome as the stage.

What happened: - Italia Media Art Festival selected seven video installations through an Open Call supported by Snam. - The call drew 31 proposals. - The selected artists are Matteo Campulla, Annamirka Criscuolo, Sandrine Deumier, Edoardo Faglia, Claudio Marani, Christelle Mas and Saul Saguatti. - Four invited artists will also join the exhibition: Maria Korporal, Paula Marcondes, Iuliia Nagibneva and Clifton Mahangoe. - The full exhibition is scheduled for Rome from Nov. 20-22, 2026.

The details: - The festival says the seven selected works align with the 2026 curatorial theme: “The Energy That Transforms: Human and Spiritual Strength Turned into Action for the Future.” - Matteo Campulla’s “Until the Land Stopped Answering” examines landscapes contaminated by electronic waste. - Annamirka Criscuolo’s “What Is (Not) an Emotion” uses virtual reality and biometric monitoring to expose the participant’s heart rate to an audience. - Sandrine Deumier’s “Electrical-darkness” turns the body into an interface inside an interactive fiction. - Edoardo Faglia’s “La Zattera” uses LED silhouettes and Morse-code SOS signals to point to environmental emergencies. - Claudio Marani’s “Prabhā Aura” transforms a visitor’s silhouette into a luminous halo through a Kinect-based interaction. - Christelle Mas’s “Sensitive Matter Systems” converts ocean microscopy data into an immersive installation. - Saul Saguatti’s “Macchine Biologiche” combines charcoal animation, projections and air-driven surfaces to create speculative organisms and mechanisms. - Mariia Plekhova is both curator and exhibiting artist with “The Church of Latent Space,” an immersive work using VR headsets, 3D-printed angels and suspended figures. - Marinellys Tremamunno founded the festival in 2024 and has positioned it as an international platform that has worked with the European Cultural Foundation, Maker Faire Rome and Rome Art Week. - Plekhova has won two IMAF awards and previously presented the AI-generated short film “Creatore” during the 60th Venice Biennale. - The festival says the major exhibition venue, full program and complete location details will be announced by the end of August. - The first public event tied to the 2026 edition is Maker Faire Rome, set for Oct. 23-25, 2026 at Gazometro Ostiense in Rome. - More information is available at the festival website. - The festival also lists social channels on Instagram and YouTube.

Between the lines: - The lineup leans toward installations that connect technology with embodiment, ecology and perception. - The curation emphasizes selection over volume, which suggests the festival is trying to define a sharper artistic identity. - The pairing of Tremamunno and Plekhova blends journalism, institutional outreach and studio-based digital art practice. - The festival is using the Open Call results to frame IMAF as an international event rather than a local showcase.

What's next: - The festival will announce the venue and full program by the end of August. - IMAF’s first 2026 event will take place at Maker Faire Rome in late October. - The major international exhibition is planned for Nov. 20-22, 2026 in Rome.

The bottom line: - IMAF 2026 is shaping up as a tightly curated media art showcase centered on seven selected installations, four invited artists and a Rome exhibition later this year.