Dr. Janos Marton, PhD, MFA is the pioneering psychologist who co-founded the Living Museum at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, New York. Established in 1983 alongside artist Bolek Greczynski, the museum was created as a radical space for psychiatric patients to express themselves through art.
Marton, a Hungarian-born clinical psychologist, saw that traditional psychiatric care often overlooked artistic self-expression, which could serve as both a form of healing and personal liberation. He and Greczynski transformed an abandoned ward at Creedmoor into a vast studio and gallery space.
The Living Museum became a sanctuary where patients, many of whom had been institutionalized for decades, could paint, sculpt, and create without judgment. Over time, it gained recognition as one of the most influential art projects in the world, inspiring similar initiatives in other Living Museums internationally. Refrence: https://living-museum.com/
Dr. Marton has remained deeply involved in the museum for decades, advocating for the rights and dignity of psychiatric patients through their artistic voices. His legacy lives on in the museum’s continued mission to highlight the humanity, creativity, and resilience of individuals living with mental illness.
Simon Downes, MD, PhD 