For the fifth edition of the RUFA Contest, conceived by Emanuele Cappelli and promoted by RUFA (Rome University of Fine Arts), David LaChapelle was welcomed as president of the jury and guest of honour. Renowned for his provocative and surreal visual style, LaChapelle shared his bold vision with a new generation of artists, acting as a creative catalyst for a contest centred on the theme of ” ‘La Divina Estetica’ (The Divine Beauty). Twenty-five selected students were invited to explore the relationship between beauty, ethics, and art in an era driven by images and excess. They were challenged to interpret contemporary aesthetics through a lens of critical engagement, spiritual tension and imaginative freedom.

Cappelli Identity Design was responsible for the entire creative direction, from brand identity to stage design. Drawing inspiration from LaChapelle’s iconic universe, they created a dynamic, contemporary visual system. The project was developed using the studio’s Dynamic Brand Methodology (https://www.cappellidesign.com/dynamic-brand/).
This approach treats identity as a flexible, relational system that adapts across formats, moments, and audiences. The result was an immersive scenographic and communication experience: the Teatro Brancaccio in Rome was transformed into a theatrical stage of contradictions, where the divine met the pop, the sacred met the profane, and irony danced with emotion. The typography mirrored this duality, with bold, expressive characters that were brought to life through light and movement. Visual transitions, neon accents, and modular layouts created a living identity that evolved throughout the event.

Every element of the contest reflected LaChapelle’s core vision: art as spiritual resistance, identity as spectacle and beauty as truth. RUFA Contest 2019 was more than just a competition; it became a space for revelation: an aesthetic and emotional experience shared between artists and audiences. Once again, Cappelli Identity Design transformed the concept of a ‘contest’ into a dynamic platform for interaction and influence, reaffirming the studio’s belief in design as a cultural expression and a means of fostering connections.