‘Parpaja’ at MUST: when collaboration between schools and museums becomes an exhibition project
The relationship between the artwork and the museum began precisely when it was entered into the competition: Parpaja was, in fact, photographed in the MUST’s Butterfly Room, the space housing Don Boarini’s lepidopteran collection. This choice has given rise to a significant connection between the installation and the museum setting, further emphasised by the very title of the work: ‘Parpaja’, a term from the Parma dialect meaning ‘butterfly’, which directly references the subject of the collection.
From this initial experience, the idea took shape to bring the work back to the Sala delle Farfalle, transforming that initial connection into a fully-fledged exhibition. Parpaja’s return to the very place where it was originally set for the competition thus takes on a special significance: not merely a curatorial choice, but the continuation of a journey that brings the students’ creative exploration into dialogue with the natural heritage of the Museum and of Parma. The collection and the installation share the same space, offering visitors the chance to discover new connections between artistic expression, the observation of nature and the identity of the local area.
The exhibition also serves as an important testament to the relationship between MUST and the city’s educational institutions. The collaboration with the Melloni Institute demonstrates how the university museum can be not only a place for the conservation, study and dissemination of scientific heritage, but also a space open to schools’ projects, participation and the enhancement of educational experiences. It is an opportunity to introduce students to the world of museums and, at the same time, to enrich the Museum through new forms of expression and perspectives.
With Parpaja, MUST thus renews its commitment to promoting opportunities for collaboration with the local community, fostering the convergence of scientific culture, creativity and education, and consolidating the role of the University Museum System as an active partner in the city’s cultural life.
Opening: Friday 6 November 2026, 3.00 pm. Free admission.
Venue: Classroom F – University Headquarters, Via Università 12, Parma.
Exhibition dates: 6 November to 5 December 2026.
Download the poster.
