GEM – GENIUS LOCI, MEMORIA, IDENTITA: REALIZZZARE UN PRESIDIO CULTURALE NEL PARCO DEL PIONTA
Obiettivo di questo progetto è la riqualificazione del Pionta, considerato dall’Università di Siena un “Parco della formazione e della cultura”. L’area si presenta come risorsa dalle enormi potenzialità rigenerative per la città di Arezzo. In essa sono presenti attività sanitarie e ospedaliere, le strutture del campus universitario e un consistente patrimonio culturale, storico-architettonico e ambientale.
Verranno condotte indagini sul patrimonio di memorie e testimonianze storiche e socio-culturali di questi luoghi in modo da svilupparne una maggiore conoscenza e, di conseguenza, una migliore fruizione da parte della comunità cittadina.
Il progetto si propone pertanto di contribuire all’attivazione di un presidio culturale nel Parco del Pionta dove si possano testare nuove modalità di fruizione e partecipazione della città, a partire dalla valorizzazione della memoria dell’ex Ospedale neuropsichiatrico di Arezzo.
Sono previste attività di analisi dei documenti archivistici dell’Ospedale, la realizzazione di performance, spettacoli e laboratori, narrazioni, storytelling, database digitali, prodotti audio-visivi da divulgare attraverso convegni e seminari aperti alla cittadinanza, alle scuole, alle associazioni di riferimento.
Responsabile scientifico: Francesca Bianchi, Università di Siena
Gruppo multidisciplinare: Sebastiano Roberto, Carlo Orefice, Mario Giampaolo
Partner: Chille de la balanza (sito – Wikipedia), ISIA Firenze, Provincia di Arezzo
Durata: 2022-2024
Visita la pagina del progetto Siamo tutte Elettra.
Visita la pagina con le immagini dell’incontro del 08.06.2023
Il Parco del Pionta rappresenta un luogo denso di memorie storiche, culturali e sociali rimasto finora sottoutilizzato dalla collettività cittadina di Arezzo. Nel contesto delle pratiche di rigenerazione urbana finalizzate a reintegrare funzionalmente e socialmente aree urbane marginali e a intensificare la partecipazione e l’accessibilità etero-culturale e democratica, progetti che abbiano come obiettivo la riqualificazione sostenibile e la disponibilità di spazi e strutture del Parco del Pionta per la comunità cittadina appaiono urgenti e decisivi. L’area si presenta come risorsa strategica, dalle enormi potenzialità rigenerative per la città di Arezzo. In essa, infatti, sono presenti attività del comparto sanitario e ospedaliero, le strutture Università di Siena – Campus di Arezzo (con numerosi progetti) e un consistente patrimonio culturale, storico-architettonico e ambientale. L’Università di Siena, con le sue attività, rappresenta il soggetto che più vitalizza il Pionta con attività didattiche e di ricerca, di promozione culturale e socializzazione studentesca svolte negli edifici dell’antico complesso manicomiale. Nel Pionta è presente un patrimonio archivistico e documentario tra i più ricchi e completi degli ex Ospedali neuropsichiatrici italiani – al cui ultimo direttore, Agostino Pirella già collaboratore di Franco Basaglia, si deve il superamento dell’esperienza manicomiale aretina. Tale patrimonio costituisce una risorsa indispensabile per costruzioni inedite di narrazioni, storytelling, prodotti audio/visivi finalizzati alla valorizzazione della memoria identitaria dell’esperienza manicomiale in chiave multidisciplinare e in un’ottica di fruizione partecipativa. Il lavoro di ricerca ha come finalità la realizzazione di un Presidio culturale nell’area, attraverso il quale pianificare e attivare progetti mirati di valorizzazione e divulgazione del ricco patrimonio storico-archivistico, culturale e ambientale. Tale Presidio agirà da “laboratorio permanente” in grado di coinvolgere e sensibilizzare, mediante workshop, performance narrative-teatrali, prodotti divulgativi, non solo docenti e studenti universitari ma anche le realtà associazionistiche, l’intera cittadinanza e le comunità del territorio di riferimento.
Presentazione dei progetto
Leggi
Legge 14 febbraio 1904, n. 36 – Disposizioni sui manicomi e sugli alienati. Custodia e cura degli alienati
Manicomio Provinciale di Arezzo è il primo compilato in Italia dopo la legge nel 1904, n.36 e relativo Regolamento 5 Marzo 1905, n. 158, e fu il primo ad essere approvato, dopo detta legge, dal Consiglio Superiore di Sanità, dove venne elogiato come modello.
Ospedale neuropsichiatrico provinciale di Arezzo 1901-1989 – La storia generale
Dal 1926, il titolo: Ospedale Neuro-Psichiatrico
Durante la prima guerra mondiale, un reparto di infermeria – stralciato dalla legge manicomiale- fu adibito all’assistenza di soldati con disturbi neuropsichici.
Negli anni 50′, la psichiatria in Europa iniziò a cambiare.
Legge 18 Marzo 1968, n. 431 – Cambiamenti nell’assistenza psichiatrica, la possibilità del “ricovero volontario” in OP.
Legge Basaglia, 13 Maggio 1978, n.180
L’esperienza di Arezzo
Nell’esperienza di superamento dell’OP di Arezzo, infermieri, medici, assistenti sociali, psicologi, amministratori, politici, cittadini e naturalmente i pazienti sono stati veri protagonisti di questa impresa collettiva costruita a partire dal modello manicomiale per smentallerlo con creatività, pazienza, fiducia nella forza della ragione, nel confronto, nella ricerca paziente.
Le storie marginali dall’Archivio
“Gentilissimo Sig. Dottore, Questo è la mia vita” (pubblicato a cura di Luciano Della Mea)
Autobiografia di Adalgisa Conti (è la storia di una donna, prima della sua vita raccontata da lei stessa, poi della sua ‘morte’ nella regressione istituzionale: anzi si potrebbe dire che prima c’è una storia poi per 64 anni non c’è più niente se non un tempo vuoto scandito da annotazioni sempre uguali, da aggettivi stereotipati, gli stessi che si trovano in tante altre cliniche di lungodegenti, che non sono più storia (audiolibro registrato da Chiara Foianesi).
Il manicomio raccontato dalle voci dei pazienti: le registrazioni audio degli anni 70′ Anna Maria Bruzzone, l’unico archivio sonoro consiste in una scatola contenente 36 audiocassette con le interviste realizzate ad Arezzo per Ci chiamavano matti (19 audiocassette), alcune interviste per La Resistenza taciuta (7 audiocassette) e altre non riferibili direttamente ad una specifica pubblicazione e di argomento diverso (10 audiocassette). Al momento della donazione il materiale è stato depositato ed è tuttora conservato presso l’Archivio storico dell’ex Ospedale Neuropsichiatrico di Arezzo, a cui è idealmente e strettamente legato. Le audiocassette sono state digitalizzate.
Ascolta
Guarda
Walking in Pionta
About Pionta:
Episode 1 #During the ancient times:
The Former Mental Asylum is situated on the hillside in Arezzo named ‘Pionta’ where ones upon a time, there was a small sacred independent citadel enclosed by the walls and governed by the bishops. Pionta was also crucial for the people of Arezzo which was used as a burial place during the ancient times for Saint Donato who has known as the patron-Saint of Arezzo. In Pionta during these times, there might be two huge churches both used as Cathedrals and they were dedicated to Saint Stefano and Saint Donato.
In this zone of Pionta, there was a residence of the Bishop, those dedicated churches of Saint Maria and Saint Stefano, the residence in the service of the church members, an ancient university with archive, library, didactic areas for literature, religious science as well as graphical science. In fact, the graphic culture of Arezzo was born in Pionta through this pre-existing ancient university.
The literature codes and the fragments of the manuscripts that were produced during the medieval times might be considered as an important communication tools representing this epoch which have been conserved in the Provincial Archive of Arezzo and Provincial Library as the main codicological and palaeographic material culture of Arezzo (check this page).
However, this episode of Pionta was erased by the historical events, and today we see this part of the site as the remains mostly accumulated in the archaeological area, known as Duomo Vecchio. Before walking in Pionta, if you want to learn more information, we invite you to check also this page in which you can learn further information from the published research conducted in 2014 by the Cultural Association ‘Academo Roberta Pellegrini’ in collaboration with the University of Florence Department of Architecture.
Episode 2 #The origins of the Mental Asylum
The origins of the treatment activities for the mental disorders in Arezzo were dating back to XVIIIth century which were previously managed by transferring the patients to the Hospital of Bonifacio in Florence. Just in 1796, the particular units, named prisons of the hospital, were organized at the ground floor of the Civil Hospital in Arezzo which were reserved for the patients struggling with mental problems. In time, those units were called as the observation rooms. In 1890, the Province of Arezzo decided to build its own Mental Asylum due to the economical reasons. During the construction process, the mental patients were hosted in the Convent of S. Spirito which were later called ‘Asilo dei dementi’.
From the Mental Asylum to the Neuropsychiatric Hospital: Manual written by the director Prof. Pieraccini
The Mental Asylum of Arezzo -with the capacity of 600 patients- was designed and projected by the first director Prof. Arnaldo Pieraccini and famous engineer Giuseppe Paoli, it was designed following the ‘village model’ with separate pavilions distributed on the area symmetrically with gardens and greenery areas for the patient circulation and agricultural or working purposes such as German examples called as ‘open door model’ (Mental asylum of Imola was taken as a model). Until 1926, the complex developed both architecturally and institutionally under the guidance of Prof. Pieraccini, and a neuropsychiatric pavilion was also added in the complex to provide the treatments for all kinds of nervous system diseases. In this way, the name of the complex changed as the Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
During the World War II, some parts of the complex were damaged due to the bomb attacks particularly the neuropsychiatric pavilion. During this transition period, all patients were transferred in the Asylum of Siena or in a Castle in Valtiberina. After war period, the treatment activities were re-started in 1947. In 1954, the neuropsychiatric treatments started to continue, and in 1957 the new neuropsychiatric pavilion was constructed which is recently known as Palazzo Ex-RAM of University of Siena (See on the map, building no. 02).
Just before the 1960s, the complex was composed of the following units both for masculine and feminine patients:
*Observation unit for diagnosis (See on the map, n. 05-09)
*The unit for calm patients –tranquilli/e– (See on the map, n. 04-13)
*The unit for dangerous patients –agitati/e– (See on the map, n. 06-08)
*The unit for sensational disorders –cronici– (See on the map, n. 07)
*The unit for epidemic disease with isolated rooms –infermiere– (See on the map, n. 05-09)
*The units for industrial and agricultural works for calm patients –colonia industrial/colonia agricoltura– ps. Agricultural working activities were just for masculine patients. (See on the map, n. 04-13)
*Units for aged patients –villino per pensionary– (It was not constructed in this period but it was designed in the project where the Palazzino ex-Ram is situated.)
The Administrative units:
*The unit of administration –economato– (See on the map, n. 03)
*Depots, kitchen, laundry, and other service units (Ex-Kitchen: See on the map, n. 12; Ex Laundry and depots were destructed today which were just behind the building n. 07)
*The section for hydrotherapy –bagni– (it was demolished, see on the map, n. 10)
*The section for electrotherapy -physical treatment units- (inside of each unit)
*The scientific unit for neuropsychiatric diagnosis and scientific library, archive (See on the map, n. 02)
*Professional and Elementary schools for the patients in different ages (they were demolished, see on the map, n. 11)
*Theatre, gymnasium, dining and resting halls, gardens and green corridors for the collective activities
* Water deposit
*Church
*The unit for autopsy and keeping the death patients. (It was demolished which was situated just behind the building n. 07)
Episode 3 #New Treatment Experiences with the director Prof. Benvenuti
In 1950, Prof. Benvenuti became the director of the complex, whose interests were focused on the treatment development together with the cure environment. In fact, he focused on the construction of the neurological pavilion after the destruction during the war period. He also launched a scientific journal focusing on the psychiatric treatment development which made the case of Arezzo as a particular laboratory for the scientific community. The Painting Atelier in Arezzo was born in 1958 led by Prof. Benvenuti and Dr. Furio Martini.
The treatment in this Atelier was focused on understanding the internal landscape of the patients through their paintings that were considered as a communication tool to express themselves. In fact, Dr. Martini wrote two articles based on two different patients in Arezzo during those years. Besides, the painting atelier of Arezzo was participated in the Health Exposition of Verona in 1959, and in Roma in 1960. During the initial phase of the atelier, the treatment was held in the administrative building, known as Palazzo d’Orologio. The famous painter Franco Villoresi was also collaborated to teach how to design to the patients. The treatment was organized without any limitations, Livio Poggesi and Lorenzo Fortuna were the most active patients in the atelier whose paintings were exhibited in the previous years. (check these pages to see the paintings of the patients).
Starting from the second half of the 1950s, de-institutionalisation process started in many countries including Italy. Following this, the law number 132 enacted in 1968, known as the Mariotti Law, brought new issues in the psychiatry sector in the health system. The obligation to recover in mental asylums for the patients struggling with mental disorders was abolished, and voluntarily treatment service was put in action. Another important event was accrued with the documentary titled as ‘Matti da slegare’ registered in the former Mental Asylum of Colorno and directed by Silvano Agosti, Marco Bellocchio, Sandro Petraglia e Stefano Rulli. The documentary was also impressive to understand the internal conditions for mental treatment. In fact, it gained an award during the 1976’s Berlin Cinema Festival.
Following these, new forms of assistance for mental health patients were started to shape focusing on the outside treatment within the society. All these innovations brought the law number 180, called as the law of Basaglia which was enacted in 1978.
In Arezzo, the closure process had already started with the arrival of Prof. Pirella on 23rd July of 1971. In fact, the treatment system of the hospital changed during the charge of Pirella who had the close relationship with Franco Basaglia. However, some conflictual situations also arose between the actors of health assistance service up to 1978 until the law number 180 was enacted. In Arezzo, there were no new registered patients to be recovered starting from 1978.
In the meanwhile, the Tuscany Region has launched the New Regional Sanitary Plan in 1980 that turned into various number of bureaucratic barriers in the beginning of the 1980s. This bureaucratization process was rechanged the its axis with the arrival of Bruno Benigni in 1985 who had one of the political frontmen during the domiciliation of the (former) patients based on their hometowns.
For the first time in Italy in this period, in Tuscany, the residential units were designed for these emancipated community with an assistance provided by SIM. In fact, the role of the ‘Comune’ of Arezzo and the political actors had been impressive during the emancipation of the former patient community.
Those facts made the Arezzo case as an exemplar for Italian health reform in Italy, which is called as ‘l’ultima paradigma‘ after Gorizia experience. In 1989, the Neuropsychiatric Hospital was closed definitively with the realisation of the two residences for therapy and habitation assisted 7/24, and a residence for non-self-sufficient people managed by social service.
Today, Pionta still represents a complex area both through its historical trajectory and its ownership status shared by different actors. It covers an area of 18 hectares with more than 25 buildings alongside its articulated greenery and recreational areas as a huge campus. While the greenery area and immense park belong to the municipality – Comune – representing a public space, while on the other hand, the buildings are the properties owned by the University of Siena and ASL.
While, the former administration building, known as Palazzo d’Orologio, former neurologic pavilion and ‘Colonia industriale’ are being used by the University of Siena, the buildings known as ‘infermiere’ are public school. While on the other, l’osservazione donne (farmaceutica e ausili), l’osservazione uomini (asilo nido), la comunità terapeutica maschile (scuola infermieri e tecnici), la colonia agricola (casa famiglia salute mentale) belong to ASL.