Description [EN]
In the Ligornetto quarter of Mendrisio, Casa Pessina serves as a cultural center and art museum; it belongs to the Museo d’arte Mendrisio. The building is closely linked to the life of sculptor and painter Apollonio Pessina (1879–1958), as it is his birthplace, his home and his studio.
A family member donated the house to the municipality, which commissioned its conversion into a museum. The official opening took place on 19 January 2003; it was emphasized that the house should not merely serve to display Pessina’s works, but should function as a living cultural center for the local population. On the same day a temporary exhibition of works by the artist Fiorenza Casanova was presented.
After Ligornetto was incorporated into Mendrisio, the museum was temporarily closed in 2013. On 18 September 2015 it reopened as a branch of the Museo d’arte Mendrisio; the reopening was accompanied by an exhibition by the photographer Simone Mengani.
On the first floor, works by Apollonio Pessina are on permanent display in four rooms. In addition, the house contains the artist’s library and archive, making Casa Pessina both an exhibition venue and a repository and research center for Pessina’s work.