Welcome Home *
Welcome to ONEROOM **
Welcome to camera publica ***
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Bookish people, curious minds and hungry eyes from all over the World, here you can feel at home.
Selected contemporary uncommon and rare photography publications and artist’s books, here awaiting you.
To discover how the world looks through someone else’s eyes.
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ONEROOM is our physical dimension, located in Piazza dei Satiri 55 in Rome, IT
At the same time a bookstore and its detournement, sometimes a gallery and mostly an open studio.
Always open, by chance or by appointment.
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camera publica is the digital and conceptual container of our activities, thoughts and dreams.
A platform for transdisciplinary research projects, using the photobook medium as main tool of investigation of the photography’s still unexpressed social potentialities.
camera publica is an experimental research center on contemporary images.
Better said on one image in particular,
the picture of the world we build and shape inside our heads.
Detournement is a diversion, a detour, a seduction, a plagiarism, an appropriation, even perhaps a hijacking. Is the integration of present or past artistic productions into a construction that surpasses them. [...] It can be a method of critique, in and against the spectacle that reveals the wearing out and loss of importance of the raw material of spectacle itself.
The key to detournement is not to appropriate the image, but to appropriate the power of appropriation itself.
Detournement as a critical practice is the opposite of quotation, of an authority invariably tainted if only because it has become quotable, because it is now a fragment torn away from its conditions of
production, from its own movement [...]
Detournement need not be piracy. It is a method of playful cultural education, the first step towards a cultural commons.
mckenzie wark, DETOURNEMENT
an abuser’s guide
ONEROOM is a space like no other, a blend of art, thought, and discovery. Whether you’re here to explore, reflect, or create, this is your gateway to something extraordinary.
Our curated experiences are designed to inspire and immerse. Whether it’s a quiet evening surrounded by books or an intimate guided tour, ONEROOM invites you to explore at your own pace. We’re deeply committed to sharing these books and the ideas they inspire with a broader, diverse audience. This isn’t an elitist pastime: it’s a journey of discovery, a unique blend of conversation and immersive performance designed to spark reflection and provide refined, critical tools to foster a more mindful perspective. This experience invites you to see the world through new eyes, uncovering the wonder of exploration.
A bigger picture | The experience
3 hours of immersive conversation
Tuesday to Saturday
10am | 2pm | 6pm
max 3 people | 30€ each
coffee or soft drinks included
On Friday and Saturday evenings, we offer a special nighttime experience at ONEROOM.
Join us from 9 PM until midnight to explore the space under a unique ambiance,
accompanied by a glass of wine and a slice of pizza.
[ max 3 people | 50€ each – book here ]
Imagine stepping into a small, yet boundless, room in the heart of Rome, a hidden nook where the walls are lined with rare, thoughtfully curated photography books. Each book here is a gateway, and each shelf is a chapter of ongoing research, filled with stories waiting to be unlocked.
ONEROOM isn’t merely a library; it’s an experience, a space where curiosity, creativity, and reflection come alive.
In this guided tour, you’ll be invited to explore photography not just as a medium but as a lens to view the world around you. Stefano, your host and the soul of ONEROOM, shares insights and stories that transform the visit into a dynamic journey through art, culture, and perception.
Together, you’ll uncover how context shapes meaning, consider what it means to see with greater awareness, and reflect on the visual narratives that connect us.
What to expect
A Curated Exploration: This isn’t about browsing shelves, it’s a guided, in-depth exploration. Each book has been handpicked and placed with intention, sparking conversations that flow between the pages and your own perspectives.
Uncover Layers of Meaning: As you turn each page, you’ll delve into themes of image and context, learning how photographs can reflect, challenge, and inspire.
A Unique Reflection: Far from a passive experience, this journey is tailored to foster your own interpretations. It’s designed to give you not only a look into a rare collection but also into your own ways of seeing and understanding.
Personal Connection in an Intimate Setting: With only you, your thoughts, and a guide who sees each guest as part of ONEROOM’s ongoing story, the experience becomes more than a visit.
It’s a shared moment in a special place, an opportunity to disconnect from the familiar and reconnect with something timeless.
Let yourself be drawn in, let the books speak to you, and leave with a deeper appreciation for both the art of photography and the subtle connections we share through the images we create.
What people are saying
This is so much more than just a photography bookstore. This is Stefano’s living art project. Cannot recommend it highly enough if you’re into art and photography, a completely unique experience.
You’ll wonder how there isn’t a line stretching around the block or a months-long waiting list for this experience!
The best experience we had in Rome. Deeply energising and inspiring.
It’s an unforgettable moment that every visitor to the city should experience, and one that you’ll remember long after you’ve left. Don’t miss it—this is truly an adventure for the soul!
Want even more?
If you’re interested in a more personalized experience, we’re happy to offer private tours tailored to your unique interests and themes you’d like to explore further.
For details or to discuss options, feel free to call or email us—we’d love to help create a memorable journey for you!
Services
Our professional consultancy and services are designed for authors, researchers, creative professionals, and institutions seeking expert support in curatorial projects, research, or collection development. Whether you’re refining an idea, developing a new project, or exploring new artistic directions, ONEROOM offers the tools and expertise to make it happen.
From curating exhibitions and publications to crafting mood boards or sourcing visual references for scenographers, directors, and designers, we bring creativity and precision to every collaboration. For collectors and institutions, we provide comprehensive consultancy on building or managing collections—be they permanent or temporary—with a focus on meaning, depth, and connection.
Each session is customized to your needs, whether you’re seeking a critical eye, practical resources, or a fresh perspective to elevate your work. Available both in-person and online, our services are as flexible as they are insightful. Let’s turn ideas into realities.
Discover all the options and availability
Find and book your ideal experience or service on our calendar page
In-Person Visit
This is a personal introduction to ONEROOM’s world.
Step inside for a 30-minute visit where we open the door to curiosity, conversation, and inspiration. This is the perfect way to start building a connection, whether you’re interested in exploring, collaborating, or simply breathing in the atmosphere that defines ONEROOM.
30 minutes | up to 5 people | Free
Professional Consultancy
Our consultations are designed for authors, researchers, and creative professionals looking to refine or launch a project. With an emphasis on personalized curation, editorial support, and project design, these sessions offer practical insights and resources tailored to your needs. We work with artists, institutions, scenographers, and collectors to support projects from initial ideas to final execution, whether it’s an exhibition, a publication, or a thematic collection.
2 hours | private meeting | 50 €
Virtual Visit
Distance doesn’t have to be a barrier. Join us online for a virtual introduction to the space, designed for those who want a glimpse of ONEROOM’s collection and ethos. In a 30-minute Google Meet session, we’ll give you a guided look into the room’s purpose and personality, bringing you as close as possible to the experience of being here.
30 minutes | up to 5 people | Free
Every consultation is shaped by the scope of your vision and grounded in ONEROOM’s commitment to thoughtful research and artistic excellence.
Let us help you create with purpose and clarity, adding layers of meaning and connection to your work.
Whether in person or online, our conversations are crafted to inspire, inform, and elevate every aspect of your project.
Writings
Here lies the core of ONEROOM \ camera publica: an evolving collection of insights, ideas, and perspectives that underpin every book, project, and curated experience we create. Invitations to think and reimagine, starting points for further explorations.
MANIFESTO
We, sighted people all over the world, are calling for a revolution in the way we look.
We, the observers of the world, call for a new era of photography. An era in which the image's power is not reserved only for a select few but accessible and understood by all.
Read MoreStefano RuffaMANIFESTO
2015-2018
A BIGGER PICTURE INTRO
In the grand theater of existence, we find ourselves both spectators and actors, our consciousness a lens through which the cosmos observes itself. This paradox – the tension between objective reality and subjective experience – forms the cornerstone of our exploration into the transformative power of visual perception.
Read MoreStefano RuffaA bigger picture
or how photography will save the World
Multiplatform transdisciplinary research
2017 - ongoing
CHILDREN OF THE STARS
Light is the primordial element of life on Earth, influencing us physically, biologically, perceptually, and culturally. Everything we see is but a narrow band of wave frequencies refracted by the world around us, not shadows on Plato’s cave wall, but light itself. This light embodies the world’s objectivity, reality, to which we can only access one frame at a time, from our unique perspectives. Much like a photograph, it captures a fragment of objective reality framed by a subjective viewpoint.
Read MoreEmilio Mossa e Piero PercocoPaesaggio Ignoto
Catalogue (essay)
September 9th 2024 - January 5th 2025
TAM Tower Art Museum, Matera (MT)
THE NATURE OF MEMORY
Let’s embark on a journey of discovery, between nature and memory, between light and shadow. A few lines to guide you through an exhibition that is a constant dialogue between poetry and reflection, between the natural world and human imagination. Each work is a fragment of a larger story, an invitation to view reality from different perspectives.
Read MoreDovile DagieneThe nature of memory
Roots & devices
Exhibition and Catalogue curatorship
October 18th - November 16th 2024
Palazzo Pirola, Gorgonzola (MI)
Whereabouts
e-mail : oneroom.books@gmail.com
Address : Piazza dei Satiri, 55
00186 Roma IT
© Room in Rome, Julio Medem, 2010