National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST), Greece
Art Psychotherapy is a humanitarian profession that exploits the inherent possibilities of art and the principles of psychotherapy. It is implemented in the presence of an art psychotherapist so that participants through creative expression, in a safe environment, can create a communication bridge with their inner self and the psychotherapist.
Museums are slowly becoming alternative places of assistance to people who need to deal with both physical and psychological issues in their daily lives related to wellbeing. Since, 2017 at EMST we hold the program "Exploring the Museum's Images - Exploring My Image" to help participants to connect with the museum collection on an “emotional level”, use the objects as symbols, use the story of an object, an image or the creator to connect with themselves, work on specific issues such as transition, history, loss, identity, etc.
Especially in these difficult times we are living, providing art psychotherapy in order to process what is happening, in an alternative setting such as a Museum can assist individuals in a healing process, make them feel safe and give them a platform to express themselves in a non medical setting.
About National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST)
The National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST) began its operation in 2000. Its permanent home is the former Fix brewery on Syngrou Ave., the reconstruction of which was completed in 2014. The building occupies 18.142 sqm. on a 3.123 sqm surface.
The Museum’s constantly growing collection is formed around a very important nucleus of works by Greek and international artists, such as Jannis Kounellis, Stephen Antonakos, Gary Hill, Vlassis Caniaris, Chryssa, Mona Hatoun, Emily Jacir, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Kim Sooja, Nikos Kessanlis, Shirin Neshat, Lucas Samaras, Costas Tsoclis, Bill Viola, Joseph Kosuth, Pedro Cabrita Reiss, Costas Varotsos, George Lappas, Oliver Ressler, Gulsun Karamustafa a.o.
