

The contemporary section, established in 2008, collects works by living artists who wished to donate their works to Pio Monte della Misericordia, thus enriching the visitable collection. As of 2022 the section includes 60 works by important contemporary artists, including Francesco Clemente, Gordon Douglas, Jimmie Durham, Mimmo Jodice, Anish Kapoor, Joseph Kosuth, Jannis Kounellis, Hermann Nitsch, Mimmo Paladino, Michal Rovner, and Giberto Zorio, and is destined to grow and have a new exhibition space in the future.
To this important exhibition, the Seven Works for Mercy, which constitutes the largest group of donations, is added many others artistic works promoted by independent curators or by associations such as ART1307 which have supported the donations by other international artists, as well as Neapolitan artists, on their projectory towards success.
Also on permanent display are four sculptures by Jan Fabre, one of the most iconic Flemish artists on the contemporary art scene, who created and designed as well a site-specific installation for the church of Pio Monte della Misericordia. Inserted into the side niches of the church, the four sculptures were created in 2019 using small pieces of red coral. Each sculpture has a heart at its base, from which elements arise and develop upwards which recall shapes present in some paintings in the church; symbols of the depth and richness of the feeling of compassion: the torch, the lilies, the cross of Christ, and the dove.














