MAAAPO
MAAAPO is a Municipal Contemporary Art Museum situated in the Art Town of Arena Po (PV), only 20 km from Pavia, 30 km from Piacenza and 45 km from Milan.
The Museum develops outdoors, in the city center and along the great Po river park in a scenic natural environment; its location sets it apart as a unique project on the great river's territory.
The Museum was born from an idea of the artist Gaetano Grillo who has established it over the course of a few years, inviting art collectors and artist friends to participate in this project which incarnates authentic relationships of mutual esteem between different generations and different languages.
The Mayor Alessandro Belforti has believed in the project and has supported it by undertaking major civic redevelopment of the town, which is now an example of excellence in Oltrepò Pavese.
The President Livia Pomodoro oversees the Museum with the prestige of her expertise.
HISTORY
2015 - The artist Gaetano Grillo, encouraged by his entrepreneur and art collector friend Angelo Roveda (native of Arena Po), bought a house in the town center along the Po river bank, alternating his residence between Milan and the natural environment he started looking at with renewed interest
2016 - Grillo arranged a ten-year agreement between the Municipality of Arena Po and the Academy of Brera to develop collaborative artistic projects, establishing the "Art Town" of Arena Po
2017 - Gaetano Grillo, his wife Francesca Arneri and a group of friends founded the CASADARTISTA Association to start a cultural activity in the territory in order to create a veritable museum. The first great artwork loaned to the collection is a bronze sculpture by Giuseppe Maraniello.
2018 - Omar Galliani loaned one of his bronze sculptures; in the meantime the artworks by Nicola Salvatore and Aldo Spoldi were set up in collaboration with the Brera Academy
2019 - Michelangelo Galliani and Marika Ricchi’s artworks were loaned to the collection, while Italo Antico donated one of his iron artworks
2021 – During spring a sculpture by Antonio Ievolella was loaned to the museum, while the artist Renzogallo created an imposing iron sculpture and has also loaned a Costas Varotsos sculpture. In September, Gaetano Grillo installed one of his great steel artwork at the town entrance.
By Municipal Resolution n. 69 of October 2nd 2021 MAAAPO, Museo Arte Ambiente Arena Po is constituted.
2022 – The Association organized an event hosting multiple exhibitions during the same day, while two new artworks were loaned to the museum: one supplied by Alik Cavaliere’s heirs and one given directly by Marco Nereo Rotelli. The artist Gianni Asdrubali started painting a large mural, which he completed the following year.
2023 – Riccardo Cordero loaned one of his great steel sculptures, Gianfranco Notargiacomo donated one of his corten “Takete” artworks and Gaetano Grillo loaned MAAAPO an imposing dove made by Antonio Paradiso.
2024 – MAAAPO inaugurated its physical location via Garibaldi n. 59, a Liberty style townhouse owned by the Municipality. This was made possible thanks to the contribution of the Region of Lombardia. Gianni Asdrubali donated one of his great ceramic pieces, Bruno Ceccobelli and Igino Legnaghi loaned two additional artworks and in October Tommaso Cascella produced an imposing mural.
A collection of artworks starts to gather inside the headquarters in via Garibaldi 59 and the first donations from Omar Galliani, Renzogallo, Gianfranco Notargiacomo, Gianni Asdrubali, Gaetano Grillo, Gianni Cella and Nicola Salvatore start to arrive.
2025 - Alik Cavaliere's Archive donated MAAAPO a project made by Cavaliere in 1975 for the Solferino Gallery in Milan. Cavaliere had 4 cabites made to be set up by four artists, Vittorio Basaglia, Mino Ceretti, Gaetano Grillo and Emilio Tadini.
The project, titled "Calendario", was intended as a preview of the four individual exhibitions meant to take place at the Solferino Gallery during the 1976 season.