Loredana Moretti's 'Ex Opis' Photographs Abandoned Lecce Asylum

Loredana Moretti's exhibition 'Ex Opis' at Must Off Gallery in Lecce presents 43 medium-format photographs and 32 original Polaroids documenting the abandoned Ex Opis psychiatric hospital, closed in 1998 under the Basaglia law. The images capture empty wards, kitchens, bathrooms, and the ancient church of San Giacomo, highlighting the dehumanizing conditions once endured by patients. A small adjacent room features a portrait of the electroshock apparatus, drawings by a former patient, a poem by Alda Merini, and reflections by Franco Basaglia and Franca Ongaro Basaglia. Moretti's work follows the documentary tradition of Carla Cerati and Gianni Berengo Gardin's 1968 exposé. The artist, born in Bari in 1966, focuses on social engagement and mental health issues.