Contemporary Art in Matera: Museums, Galleries and Foundations

13 August 2021

In Matera artists and art curators make wonderful use of the buildings and places. Matera has a rich and vital contemporary art scene, as demonstrated by this list of the city’s contemporary galleries and by the Artist Residency we hosted at Masseria Fontana di Vite.
The Residency is a collaboration between us and the gallerist Carl Kostyal, it was founded to provide a space and home for visual artists from around the world to create art while experiencing Italian life. So, we want to share with you our passion for contemporary artists.

SoutHeritage Foundation for Contemporary Art

The SoutHeritage Foundation sets its cultural projects in historical and symbolic places of the city of Matera and of Basilicata, thus contributing to the vivification of historical-architectural memory of the natural territory. Visit the foundation website to know about projects and exhibitions.

Musma, “Museum of Contemporary Sculpture of Matera”

MUSMA (Museum of Contemporary Sculpture of Matera), housed in the seventeenth century Palazzo Pomarici, is the only museum entirely dedicated to Italian sculpture. The museum makes wonderful use of the building, the exhibition is spread over four hypogeum, two floors and courts, all dedicated to exhibiting contemporary sculpture.

The “Great Exhibitions in the Sassi”

Matera has a great feeling with the sculpture exhibitions. It comes from the “Great Exhibitions in the Sassi” managed from 1978 by the cultural association “La Scaletta” and staged in the rocky churches of Madonna delle Virtù e San Nicola dei Greci. At the moment you can visit the exhibition “Salvador Dalí. La persistenza degli opposti”.

Momart Gallery, spazio creativo nei Sassi

Momart Gallery is in the heart of Sassi and is a vibrant place of experimentation, innovation and art research. This space hosts residencies and visitors are allowed to witness up close the process of an artist at work. Talks and seminars are also held.

The Sculpture Park “La Palomba”

The Sculpture Park "La Palomba" was an initiative of the artist Antonio Paradiso, who created a permanent exhibition of his works in an exhausted tuff quarry. It is located on the trunk road SS 7 Appia in "La Palomba", an area where there are several tuff quarries. The exhibition makes wonderful use of the space.

If you love art and sculpture you must visit it.
Do you like contemporary art? Reserve your holiday in Matera and enjoy museums and galleries.