‘MURALES. Contemporary Art in the Metro’ is a contemporary art project promoted by the consortium led by Webuild and Vianini Lavori, under the patronage of Roma Capitale and in coordination with the relevant Superintendencies  

The third installation unveiled today, ‘TOOLS’ by Elisabetta Benassi, is dedicated to the work of trades and archeologists involved in building a modern Rome

Work on the second macro-phase at Piazza Venezia has begun, with inauguration of Porta Metronia and Colosseo/Fori Imperiali stations set for December 16

ROME, December 5, 2025 – Piazza Venezia confirms its role as a stage for public art with the unveiling of ‘TOOLS’ by Elisabetta Benassi, the third installation in the ‘MURALES. Contemporary Art in the Metro’. The work pays tribute to the community of workers – archaeologists and trades – the true ‘Hidden Heroes’, whose daily efforts are driving Rome’s infrastructure transformation. 

The artistic project has been made possible thanks to the consortium building Rome Metro Line C, led by Webuild and Vianini Lavori, under the patronage of Roma Capitale and in collaboration with the relevant Superintendencies. Its goal is to transform the construction site into an expression of innovation and urban regeneration, combining the beauty of Rome with its need to evolve. 

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri; Renata Cristina Mazzantini, Director of the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art of Rome and Chair of the Scientific Committee of the ‘MURALES’ project; and the artist Elisabetta Benassi, together with Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini, and Vianini Lavori Chief Executive Vincenzo Onorato. Also present for the Metro C consortium were Franco Cristini and Fabrizio Di Paola, respectively Chairman and Chief Executive. 

“Rome was born out of work, from the relentless layering generated by hands, visions, and materials that built its millenary history,” said Salini. “This is the strength that art celebrates: the collective effort of workers and archaeologists transforming the underground to build a modern Rome. This construction site, which with the ‘MURALES’ project becomes a cultural platform, is visible proof of a commitment that goes beyond engineering. We are working to help provide this city with essential infrastructure for mobility and connectivity. Line C is a backbone of the city, built under complex engineering and archeological conditions, proceeding thanks to close the collaboration among private companies, public institutions, and local communities, with the shared goal of making Rome increasingly modern and cutting-edge.”

In ‘TOOLS’, the artist focuses on the hands of workers and archaeologists at the site. They are photographed as they hold the tools of their daily work (wrenches, chisels, electric cables, chains, bolts, sponges), which are used both to build and to bring precious relics from the past back to light. The artwork establishes a deep symbolic and historical connection with the city, drawing inspiration from the symbol used for Bernini’s Angels on Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome, which bears the instruments of Christ’s Passion. Like those angels, seven workers from the construction site hold their work tools, merging the sacred with the secular, the ancient with the contemporary, in a dual image. While Bernini’s instruments evoke a dramatic moment, those represented in the artwork recall the epic nature of daily work – tightening, fastening, cleaning, chiseling, digging – celebrating the symbolic power of creation and craftsmanship. 

This latest original artwork, dedicated to the theme of work and part of the ‘MURALES’ project curated by Spazio Taverna, replaces ‘We Rise by Lifting Others’ by Marinella Senatore, which in turn succeeded ‘Constellations of Rome’ by Pietro Ruffo. It continues to transform the silos of the Venezia Station site into a monumental open-air installation. 

The ‘MURALES’ project is part of a broader framework of crucial works for the Capital: at the Venezia Station site, the first macro-phase of works has been completed, with excavations reaching depths of up to 85 metres, that will reveal the ancient Via Flaminia, before moving on to the next macro-phase. In parallel, the consortium has delivered two key ‘archaeo-stations,’ Colosseo/Fori Imperiali and Porta Metronia, scheduled to open to the public on December 16. These stations serve as a model at the global level of the kind of success that can be obtained from close collaboration between public institutions and private companies, which also enabled the enhancement of the discovery of a Roman barracks at Porta Metronia. The consortium’s commitment continues with the executive design of Section T2 (Venezia–Clodio/Mazzini), which includes two new archaeo-stations: San Pietro and Chiesa Nuova.