The Museum of Art and History of Sainte-Anne Hospital (MAHHSA) in Paris is presenting an exhibition titled "Masterpieces at the Heart of the Sainte-Anne Collection" from April 16 to July 26, 2026. The show features 145 works by artist-patients from the 19th century to today, including pieces by Aloïse Corbaz, Unica Zürn, Guillaume Pujolle, Maurice Blin, and Caroline Macdonald. Curated by Anne-Marie Dubois, the exhibition is organized into six thematic sections—such as "History of asylum and refuge" and "Imaginary universes"—to allow the works to dialogue without being reduced to the artists' illnesses. The museum also highlights Yayoi Kusama, who has long described her art as therapy.
This exhibition matters because it centers on destigmatization, deliberately avoiding clinical labels and focusing solely on the artistic merit of works created by individuals in psychiatric care. By presenting these pieces in a museum context rather than a medical one, the MAHHSA challenges preconceptions about mental illness and creativity. The show also underscores the growing recognition of art therapy and the historical contributions of outsider artists, offering an affordable (€5) and accessible cultural experience in Paris that bridges art and psychiatry.