Enduring Values
Treasures from the Museum Archives
Opening 13 July 2024
From 13 July to 27 October 2024

One year after the exhibition of a selection of the museum's small/big masterpieces (Picasso, Birolli, Capogrossi, Balla, De Chirico, Consagra, Guttuso ed. a.), the Civico Museo “Parisi Valle” continues to explore the rich and varied connections between the permanent collections. This also is an occasion to celebrate the recent recognition of the museum and its collections by the Lombardy Region in March 2024.
In fact, the museum preserves a significant number of works of art and archaeological artefacts donated by sculptor Giuseppe Parisi and his wife Wanda Valle. Around this nucleus, the Museum on the Giona River was established ('Parisi Valle donation'). The important collection of works of art consists of more than 2000 exhibits, partly graphics (over
915 pieces), partly sculpture. The 'Parisi Valle donation' also includes an archaeological and numismatic section (more than 420 artefacts), only part of which is permanently accessible to the public.
Last but not least, during the years 2006-2008, 160 new works were entrusted to the Civico Museo of Maccagno thanks to a programme of integration and extension of the Permanent Collections of Painting, Sculpture and Graphics, documenting the contemporary art scene in Lombardy.
Such a heritage requires constant monitoring, security measures, valorisation and exploration of its cultural potential.
The presentation that is proposed here wants to offer the public a laboratory of these different dynamics in an exhibition itinerary that brings into dialogue the section of works of art (ParisiLab, realised with new exhibits from the museum archives) and the section of archaeology (Fragments), which has also been extended by significant artefacts never exposed before.
In the first room, the visitor encounters the impressive, yet small and fragmented torso from the classical age that anticipates the main theme of the first section of the exhibition: sculpture, a tribute to Giuseppe Parisi. Meanwhile, the discovery of other great artists
from the collections is going on, a project of valorisation and rotating exhibitions of works of art that started in 2002 (Figure tra le carte curated by Luigi Cavadini) and was resumed in 2023. The sculptures by Giuseppe Parisi enter into dialogue with poetic explorations by the futurist Sebastiano Carta (Priolo Gargallo, Siracuse 1913 - Rome 1973), by the versatile Bice Lazzari (Venice 1900 - Rome 1982), by the visionary Estuardo Maldonado, Ecuadorian (born1928) and by the refined Lorenzo Guerrini (Milan 1914 - Rome 2003). Works and names that truly contribute to the value of the art collections of the Maccagno museum and offer a full overview of the international art scene of the 20th century.
The section Fragments/Archaeology proposes ad hoc a temporary display for the numismatic collection to complete the permanent collection.
While planning this exhibition, the Civico Museo “Parisi Valle” started a collaboration with university institutes (Milan State University, Faculty of Archaeology) for a comprehensive revision of the archaeological material, the valorisation of some important pieces and the creation of didactic tools for the public, which will remain in possession of the museum .
The monitoring and valorisation of the material by the Archaeological Faculty of Milan State University will be conducted through workshops open to the adult public, young people and pupils from schools in the area and is planned for September and October 2024.

Organization and coordination:
Civico Museo “Parisi Valle”

Exhibition curated by:
Federico Crimi

With the support of:
Municipality of Maccagno with Pino and Veddasca (VA)
Pro loco Maccagno (VA)

With the contribution of Regione Lombardia

Poster (click to enlarge)

Leaflet in PDF (click to download)