An out-of-the-ordinary Park-Museum in Calabria where contemporary art and ancient scenarios coexist

The MuSaBa is more than just a container of exhibitions of art: it is a concept, park, museum and laboratory located at the foot of the rugged Aspromonte Mountains in the Calabrian town Mammola. Two visionary artists have transformed a once abandoned site, located in an economically disadvantaged area, into a place for artistic experimentation.

Mammola is a small town in the province of Reggio Calabria, situated at about 10 km from the Ionian Sea. A geographic location that reflects the two natural souls of Calabria, a region washed by two seas, the Ionian and Tyrrhenian, and at the same time situated in the shadow of the mountains of three national parks: Pollino, Sila and Aspromonte. Mammola is the location chosen years ago by Nick Spatari and Hiske Maas to build their vision: MuSaBa.

MuSaBa stands for Museum of Santa Barbara. In fact, the museum park is located on the Santa Barbara promontory, a site rich in history, home to a Carthusian monastery complex dating back to the early 4th century. When the two unconventional artists Nik and Hiske arrived at the site in 1969, they found nothing but ruins and after many years of restoration work, it has now become a one-of-a-kind experience for the visitors and a reference point for cultural initiatives for the promotion of the architectural and environmental heritage of Calabria.

In addition to the works created by Nik’s exuberant and eclectic genius, you’ll find works by international contemporary artists but also students, and volunteers who continually enrich it with their contributions. Lights and colors, mosaics and paintings: everything lights up with vibrant colors in a dreamlike, psychedelic and non-conformist way.