OPEN AANT presents “Awake” by Christian Brogna and Claudia Zanella

On Tuesday 9 December, AANT hosted a new event in the OPEN AANT series with the presentation of the book Awake, written by neurosurgeon Christian Brogna together with writer and actress Claudia Zanella. The event was an invitation to reflect on human potential in relation to machines and new technologies.

Awake offers a journey into the human brain and along the subtle line that defines human identity. Christian Brogna, an expert in awake surgery, describes operations on patients undergoing particularly complex brain tumor surgery while awake. By weaving together clinical cases with an autobiographical narrative, the book reveals the potential unleashed by human connections that go beyond the achievements of new technologies.

The event, moderated by AANT’s Scientific Director and Head of Internationalization, Prof. Gianna Angelini, was a unique opportunity for students of the three-year academic courses: a moment of direct dialogue with an author who explores the value of imagination and the role of thought from a scientific perspective.

About the guest: Christian Brogna is an internationally renowned neurosurgeon known for his expertise in complex brain surgery and for his practice of “awake surgery,” operations during which the patient remains awake, speaking, playing music, drawing—an experience at the crossroads of science, art and identity. Awake recounts not only his clinical experiences, but also seeks to convey what makes each brain and each life unique: memory, emotion, creativity, history.

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Presented at AANT: the Tales from Neurocene project

On Wednesday, 3 December 2025, the Aula Magna of AANT in Rome hosted the presentation of Tales from Neurocene, an innovative experimental animated film project conceived by director Luigi Maria Perotti and inspired by the theories of Prof. Marco Gori of the University of Siena.
The event, organized as part of the activities of the new research HUB geniaLAB dedicated to artificial intelligence, was moderated by Prof. Gianna Angelini, scientific director and head of internationalization at AANT.
At the heart of the meeting was the screening of “The Final Chapter”, a short film of about 10 minutes that serves as a prologue to the narrative universe of Tales from Neurocene. This brief film – a teaser created entirely with artificial intelligence tools – immerses the viewer in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world governed by a centralized AI called “N”, tasked with re-educating humanity so that it “does not repeat the same mistakes” made in the past.
The idea of the Neurocene – the name given to this scenario – stems from the desire to imagine what might happen if, in the coming years, we fail to find a different approach to the potential of AI. The short film presented at AANT is therefore a creative provocation intended to prompt reflection on the future of artificial intelligence and on the ethical and environmental implications of its development.
During the presentation, Perotti and Gori explained how Tales from Neurocene was born from a meeting at the University of Siena, where Prof. Gori and his team (SAILab) are working on an approach to AI that is less energy-intensive and more decentralized than current models. In particular, they highlighted the problem of the high resource consumption of today’s AI systems: each individual query to an AI model can require the same amount of energy as charging a smartphone, and it is estimated that within five years the energy and water consumption of AI could match that of a country like Japan. These figures aroused considerable interest among students, opening a debate on the urgent need to rethink intelligent technologies in a sustainable way.

Meet the Expert: Alessandra Reggiani and Federica Giuliani present “Because The Light – Light, Shadow and Harmony”

On 27 November AANT hosted “Because The Light – Light, Shadow and Harmony”, a new event in the Meet the Expert series dedicated to contemporary approaches to lighting design and the role of light in architecture. The session featured a dialogue between Prof. Alessandra Reggiani, AANT lecturer and lighting designer, and Dr. Federica Giuliani, researcher at the University of Tuscia and specialist in natural light.

The conversation explored how light shapes perception, supports emotional wellbeing and defines the atmosphere of architectural spaces. Through an in-depth reflection on the relationship between light and shadow, the speakers highlighted how a well-designed lighting strategy can enhance spatial quality and transform environments into meaningful experiences.
The event offered students from our Academic Bachelor Programmes an opportunity to deepen their understanding of lighting as a key element in contemporary architectural practice.

About the speakers:
Alessandra Reggiani, architect and lighting designer, has extensive experience in the illumination of cultural heritage sites and is the author of numerous publications on lighting culture.
Federica Giuliani, architect, develops international research projects focused on promoting awareness and innovation in natural lighting.

AI and Academic Pathways:
AANT Guest on LA7’s Coffee Tech

On Saturday, 29 November, AANT’s Scientific Director and Head of Internationalization, Prof. Gianna Angelini, was a guest on the TV show Coffee Tech on LA7. The central themes of the episode were AI, robotics and, more generally, how technological innovation is influencing and will continue to influence everyday life in the future.

In the studio with journalist and TV host Ivo Mej, alongside Prof. Angelini, were: historian and essayist, as well as Director of the Vittoriale degli Italiani, Giordano Bruno Guerri; journalist and science communicator Emilio Cozzi; actress Antonella Attili; and comic actor and radio host Vittorio Pettinato.

During the episode, images of AANT were shown, with a particular focus on the Farms and the events organized within our academic programmes. Prof. Angelini presented the courses of the Academy in Rome, highlighting the continuous upskilling of the teaching staff in AI and new technologies, which have always been at the core of our curricula. At the same time, she stressed how critical thinking, developed through the theoretical subjects offered in all AANT academic pathways, is essential for the conscious use of the tools of the future.

Here the link for the streaming. 

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From Mimesis to Machine:
AANT at the Swiss Institute’s AI conference

Today, Thursday 27 November, the conference “From Mimesis to Machine: AI and the Evolution of Artistic Creation” is being held at the Swiss Institute in Rome, as part of the Innovation series and in collaboration with HEAD – Genève.

The event, held entirely in English, brings together designers, historians and educators for a day of talks and workshops, with the aim of exploring how artificial intelligence is redefining our relationship with images, tradition and knowledge. It also reflects on how academic art education is responding to these changes in a critical and creative way.

Representing AANT is the Scientific Director and Head of Internationalization, Prof. Gianna Angelini, who will speak about the Academy and describe how AI is now deeply integrated into AANT’s teaching across all study programs (Three-year Bachelor’s Degrees, Specialist Two-year Programs and Master’s) at AANT in Rome, during the panel: “Teaching Creativity in the Age of Algorithms.”

OPEN AANT: Domitilla Dardi presents
EDIT Napoli

On Tuesday, 18 November, AANT hosted a presentation of EDIT Napoli, led by Domitilla Dardi. Students from the bachelor’s programmes had the opportunity to learn about the origins of this important editorial design fair, founded in June 2019.

Now in its 7th edition, EDIT Napoli was created to fill a gap in the landscape of design fairs. On one side are independent designers who are too small to take part in large international events such as the Salone del Mobile; on the other, companies that produce high-quality objects but struggle to establish a dialogue with buyers, designers, and industry professionals.
Dardi’s project addresses this very need: to create a platform capable of connecting niche creative realities with architects, interior designers, retailers, and sector operators, while promoting an authentic, responsible, and research-driven approach to design.

About the guest: Domitilla Dardi is a design historian and curator. Since 2010 she has been the design curator at MAXXI – the National Museum of 21st-Century Arts in Rome, and in 2022 she was appointed Senior Curator. She has been a visiting professor at several Italian and international universities, collaborates with specialized magazines, and is the author of numerous monographs and essays on design culture.

AANT at the Salone dello Studente 2025:
where passion meets future skills

Once again this year, AANT took part in the Salone dello Studente at the Fiera di Roma, bringing its new creative concept:
“Love is the only thing that matters. Yes, but you need skills.”

At the fair, we wanted to express this message not only through words, but also through:

  • dedicated materials designed by our creatives
  • customized gadgets and bags, conceived as small storytelling objects
  • visuals and setups that transformed our stand into a narrative space

At the Salone dello Studente, we met hundreds of young people eager to discover their talent. Thanks to the contributions of our tutors and students, we were able to share with them the spirit and energy of our creative community.

I’ll Tell You How I Did It:
Sit Around Podcast

On Tuesday, November 11, AANT’s Aula Magna hosted Manuel Montefuscoli and Michela Cipolla, creators of Sit Around Podcast, as part of the event series titled “I’ll Tell You How I Did It.”. The meeting was moderated by Prof. Valerio Di Paola, coordinator of the Bachelor’s program in Videomaking.

The guests were able to present their podcast dedicated to creativity to the students — a project born as a radio space for dialogue and inspiration, featuring the voices of those who have managed to turn their talent into a lifelong profession. The format focuses on the connections between art, communication, and design, telling the stories and insights behind creative careers. The podcast is set to launch in February 2026, with each episode lasting between 50 and 60 minutes, inspired by the style of classic American talk shows — as if it were an informal chat among friends. Among the guests who have so far confirmed their participation in the project are: director Valerio Desiro, storyteller Il Signor Franz, pop duo Younuts!, Roman performer Er Pinto, entrepreneur Lorenzo Del Bianco, illustrator Luca Maleonte (who also created the mural in the Aula Magna), and content creator Simone Rosini. During the meeting with AANT students, Montefuscoli and Cipolla also announced that anyone interested in taking part in the organization and writing of the podcast episodes will be able to join the Farm, which will be held at the Academy in the coming months.

About the authors:

Manuel Montefuscoli is a Creative Director in advertising who, since 2009, has worked with SMEs and various multinational companies, applying creativity to corporate communication and growth.

Michela Cipolla holds a degree in Visual Arts, Communication, and Art Education. She works in cultural dissemination, aiming to bring the general public closer to a world often considered niche.

Graduation Day: a new day of celebration at AANT

On Saturday, October 18, a graduation session was held at the Academy. Eight students from the various three-year academic programs—Design, Videomaking, and Art Direction—presented their final projects before the Committee, ready to take flight toward their desired professional path.

Here are the names of the new graduates and the titles of their projects:

Carlo Calcagni: “La percezione del futuro nei videogiochi”
Greta Castagna: “Acqua: strategie curatoriali per una sensibilità ecologica nell’arte contemporanea”
Aurora Gabriele: “Tradizione e trasformazione: il nuovo volto della Masseria Coco”
Giada Giunta: “VALE”
Sergio Pauri: “L’autorialità nel Cinema”
Marzia Saulini: “Ridisegnare Roma: un progetto per semplificare l’esperienza utente di Roma Capitale”
Cristiana Tranchini: “Arsenale delle Arti: progetto di riqualificazione dell’ex arsenale pontificio”
Matteo Tulli: “Not NOW”

We extend our warmest congratulations to all of them for a future full of great achievements!

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Rome Game Jam: AANT as the Stage for the Second Edition of the Creative Marathon

From October 10th to 12th, AANT hosted the Rome Game Jam for the second time — a 48-hour hackathon dedicated to the creation and development of live games, board games, and video games. Participants were divided into small teams with the goal of designing a complete game within a limited time. It was a unique opportunity for students, professionals, and enthusiasts alike to challenge themselves in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Leading the hundred or so Jammers who took part in this creative marathon were AANT professors Simone Mari, Ennio Pirolo, Francesca Zacchia, and Andrea Ferlito, CTO of Codemotion.

In just 48 hours, 18 games were created; the best one was selected by a jury composed of professionals and industry experts:

Carlo Tuzza, sound designer and composer
Federico Simonetti, researcher and co-founder of the Ex Machina collective
Lorena Rao, lecturer and video game critic for Fanpage.it and Atacore.it
MarcusKron, YouTuber and streamer
Simone Martolini, 3D modeler at Red Hog
Valerio Bernardini, game and narrative designer at Turbolento Games.

Proud to have hosted the event, AANT is already gearing up for the third edition!

Let’s have a chat, become AANT people

AANT is in ROME

Fill out the form, and one of our tutors will contact you to answer your questions!

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