MAPP Museo d'Arte Paolo Pini

MAPP Museo d'Arte Paolo Pini is a contemporary art museum located in the former Mental Hospital Paolo Pini (Milan).
The museum was founded in 1993 by the psychiatrist Tesera Melorio and the psychotherapist Enza Baccei (founders of the Association ARCA Onlus) in partnership with the Department of Mental Health of the Hospital Niguarda Ca' Granda, and in collaboration with some famous milan based art galleries (Cannaviello, Seno, Toselli, Mazzotta, Marconi). The artistic director is under the supervision of Marco Meneguzzo.

The objective of the project was to transform the mental hospital in an open place were patients could meet artists and work along with them. The founders had the firm belief that creativity could be a powerful support to the rehabilitation of patients affected by mental distress. The cooperation between patients and artists represents the occasion for exchanging ideas, cultural and artistic experiences and, above all, giving these people the possibility to re-establish a channel of communication. This approach has totally transformed a place that was for many years the symbol of the lack of communication.

Since the inception of the transformation, many famous artists participated to the project by painting indoor and outdoor graffiti, or contributed with artistic installations and sculptures, now spread all-over the park. These pieces of art became then perfectly integrated in the original buildings and in the surrounding park.

During the years, the museum has become internationally well-known and today the collection counts 140 art works. Every year new artistic installations, sculptures and “murales” are organized inside the buildings in order to enrich this well-established collection.

In addition, the museum owns and exhibits the paintings realised "four-hands" by the artists and patients; those pieces of art are the precious result of the art therapy workshops that frequently take place inside the MAPP.
The MAPP represents the artistic section of the “Museo Regionale della Psichiatria", of Niguarda Hospital property. In 2007 it was officially recognized by Regione Lombardia as a museum. The same year it was honored with the “Ambrogino d'Oro” by Comune di Milano.

Educational programs

Tra ordinario e straordinario. Alla scoperta del MAPP

Workshop

Il MAPP invita il suo pubblico ad una iniziativa speciale: una visita guidata alla collezione permanente del MAPP Museo d'Arte Paolo condotta da un gruppo di utenti delle Botteghe d'Arte,...