2015 – BOTANICA. From Art to Nature for Casa Testori

In 2015, the year marked by Expo Milano, Casa Testori presented itself to the public with a wide-ranging project titled “BOTANICA. From Art to Nature for Casa Testori.”
The theme—significantly complementary to that of the Expo—was chosen to bring together diverse communities and realities, and to engage new audiences with Casa Testori’s cultural and exhibition program.

The series of initiatives that followed took place both on-site and throughout the territory, transforming Casa Testori into a crossroads and cultural reference point that both enriched and was enriched by local resources.

For the first time, the BOTANICA project brought together institutional partners and local associations, contributing to the creation of an active community and strengthening Casa Testori’s presence within its territory.

The project aimed to make Casa Testori more attractive and accessible through the enhancement of its garden, thematic exhibitions, and participatory activities exploring the dialogue between art and nature. These initiatives actively involved local schools, as well as two agricultural parks—the Parco della Balossa (Parco Nord Milano)and the Parco delle Risaie (Parco Sud Milano)—together with their respective communities.

The selection of the theme and the actions that shaped the project emerged from a shared planning process with five key partners:

• Parco Nord Milano

• The William G. Congdon Foundation

• Associazione Giovanni Testori Onlus

• Associazione Amici della Biblioteca di Villa Venino

• Associazione Parco delle Risaie

Additionally, around twenty public and private institutions contributed to the project’s various initiatives, including the Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Parco Sud, the Municipalities of Novate Milanese, Bollate, and Cormano, as well as local primary and secondary schools, the ITCS Erasmo da Rotterdam in Bollate, and the IIS Pareto in Milan.