Carrara, in Tuscany, is aa shining example of how art can play a role in wellbeing and become a therapeutic tool.
Viewing art can reduce stress
Slowness, beauty and contemplation are the new keywords for museum tourism. Recent research by the University of Milan-Bicocca, has revealed that visiting museums is not only a cultural experience, but can also become a real therapeutic tool. The study showed that following a mindfulness programme in an art gallery reduces stress and anxiety levels by up to 25%.
Art therapy for dementia patients
Whether using art as a therapeutic method or participating in a guided tour, the reduction in stress and anxiety is still 20%. In an age where the frenzy of everyday life has a profound impact on mental well-being, museums offer a “slow” space, where slowness becomes a resource and contemplation an antidote to stress. One example is the Musei Toscani per l'Alzheimer (Tuscan Museums for Alzheimer's) project which offers art therapy activities for people with dementia and their carers for two years.
“Carrara’s marble is everywhere in the world”
“Carrara is a natural laboratory for wellbeing through art,- explains Gea Dazzi, councillor for culture of the Municipality of Carrara. -With its marble, Carrara is everywhere in the world. This continuous dialogue between tradition and innovation, between the marble of the quarries and that transformed into art, creates a unique environment where the aesthetic experience also becomes an experience of wellbeing”.
Ortica Noodles A Francesca Rolla murale Carrara 2013
Celebrating Michelangelo and Canova
At the CARMI (Carrara and Michelangelo Museum), until 26 October, “Per Forza di Levare” is a photographic exhibition celebrating the 550th anniversary of Michelangelo's birth through the work of great 19th-century photographers who, over the course of 120 years, immortalized his masterpieces. Until 28 September, the mudaC (Carrara Museum of Arts) is hosting an exhibition that reinterprets the traditional perception of marble, called “Stars and Dust,” and every Saturday morning, the Academy of Fine Arts is open to visitors, with original works by Canova.
For information: https://www.visitacarrara.it
