Madre Museum

The Madre Museum in Naples, located in the historic Palazzo Donnaregina, is one of the most important centers for contemporary art in Italy. Founded in 2005, the museum was born from the “Pact for Contemporary Art” of 2003, with the aim of promoting and preserving contemporary visual art. The palace itself has historical roots dating back to the 18th century, built around two courtyards and overlooking ancient Greek walls visible under the ticket office floor. The design and expansion of the exhibition spaces were entrusted to the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, who created a harmonious and functional environment to host the artworks. The exhibition space of 2660 square meters also includes a bookstore, a library, educational workshops, an auditorium, a restaurant, and a café. The Madre Museum houses a permanent collection with works by internationally renowned artists such as Damien Hirst, Jannis Kounellis, Richard Long, Nino Longobardi, Giulio Paolini, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jeff Wall. The museum’s initial collection included works on loan from national and international collections, as well as directly from the artists. Due to financial setbacks and political changes, some works were returned to their owners, but the collection was subsequently reconstituted under the direction of Andrea Viliani. The museum also has a section dedicated to site-specific projects with works by artists such as Domenico Bianchi, Francesco Clemente, Luciano Fabro, Rebecca Horn, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, Sol LeWitt, and Richard Serra. Since 2013, the project “To_form a collection” has further enriched the museum’s heritage, with a particular focus on creating a progressive and dynamic collection. The history of the Madre is marked by complex events and administrative turmoil. After the initial opening under the direction of Eduardo Cicelyn and Mauro Codognato, the museum faced significant challenges, including changes in management and controversies regarding public funding. Nevertheless, the museum has continued to play a fundamental role in the contemporary art scene, organizing important temporary exhibitions and retrospectives. In addition to permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Madre Museum is active in promoting art through educational and training programs aimed at a broad and diverse audience. Educational workshops and activities for schools are an integral part of the museum’s mission to make contemporary art accessible and understandable to everyone. An interesting anecdote concerns the museum’s relationship with the local community. In 2013, the “Madre for Social” project saw collaboration between the museum and various community groups to create collective artworks, reflecting the experiences and stories of the Neapolitan population. This project helped strengthen the bond between the museum and the city, demonstrating the power of art as a tool for social inclusion.