From June 26 to September 26, IED Florence hosts the first retrospective dedicated to Stefano Rovai — a pivotal figure in contemporary Italian graphic design — in the historic Teatro dell’Oriuolo.
The exhibition, held in collaboration with WHY Festival, the annual event celebrating visual communication, graphic design, and illustration, spans decades of Rovai’s work. It highlights the civic commitment and bold, direct language of the poster — a powerful tool of public communication, capable of awakening collective consciousness and sparking reflection.
With this retrospective, WHY Festival pays tribute to a key voice in Italian visual culture, while inviting the public to reflect on the social and political role of graphic design.
Art director, illustrator, and visual designer, Rovai has created over 130 posters throughout his career — many addressing urgent political, social, and cultural themes.
On display is a curated selection of his works spanning the years 1978 to 2025.