29 April – 27 May 2011

The expression of reality through paintings by residents of an Alzheimer’s care unit

Curated by: Toni Alfano & 3SG Camelot, Gallarate (VA)

Scientific Supervision: Dr. Ivo Cilesi

A group exhibition featuring a selection of works created by residents of the “Il Lago” Alzheimer’s unit at the Camelot residential care facility in Gallarate. The artworks were produced during art workshops, conceived not for therapeutic or educational purposes, but rather as a free expression of personal, lived experiences. This project draws direct inspiration from the concept of Art Brut.

The term Art Brut (literally “raw art” in French) was coined in 1945 by the French painter Jean Dubuffet to describe artistic works created by non-professionals or psychiatric hospital patients working outside conventional aesthetic norms—such as self-taught artists, people with psychosis, prisoners, and individuals with no formal artistic background. In doing so, he sought to define a form of spontaneous art, free from cultural pretensions or intellectual deliberation.

The exhibition also includes a video installation featuring a continuous loop of footage and images that explore the relationship between art and Alzheimer’s disease.

The opening will take place on Friday, April 29, at 2:00 PM in the Camelot exhibition room. It will follow the morning conference titled “Alzheimer’s: New Care Models and Strategies”—held in the multimedia hall—which will be presented by Dr. Ivo Cilesi (the psychologist leading the “doll therapy” project).

The project aims to highlight and celebrate the residents' creations, draw public attention to the “Il Lago” Alzheimer’s unit within the 3SG-Camelot facility, and raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.