Portrait of Contemporary Italy from the Acta International Archive offers a cross-sectional look at the genre of portraiture through a selection of photographs from the Acta International gallery in Rome, one of the first dedicated to contemporary photography in the capital. Founded in 1993 by Giovanna Pennacchi, with the scientific collaboration of photography historian and critic Diego Mormorio, Acta International was a non-profit center for the promotion of photographic culture at a time when, especially in Italy, there was still a heated debate regarding the recognition of photographic language as an art form.

During its thirty years of activity, 140 exhibitions were organized, as well as exhibition projects abroad, particularly in New York at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò – NYU New York University, the Italian Cultural Institute, and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Following the closure of the gallery space at the end of 2023, its history is now entrusted to the fundamental role of the Archive, bridging past and future, and to the curatorship of Manuela De Leonardis.

The exhibition features works by: Paola Agosti, Sandro Becchetti, Piergiorgio Branzi, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Massimiliano Camellini, Franco Cenci, Mario Clementi, Pasquale De Antoniis, Simona Filippini, Giorgia Fiorio, Stefano Fontebasso De Martino, Leonard Freed, Frank Horvat, Dino Ignani, Giuseppe Leone, Lucideddu (Lucia Cadeddu), Gabriella Nessi Parlato, Dino Pedriali, Marialba Russo, Ivo Saglietti, Gianfranco Salis, Angelo Turetta.