Emilio Isgrò and Marcello Maloberti Debate Subtraction vs Accumulation in Art

In a conversation for Artribune's 'Versus' series, artists Emilio Isgrò and Marcello Maloberti explore the tension between subtraction and accumulation in artistic practice. Isgrò, known for his 'cancellatura' (erasure), argues that both approaches can achieve similar ends, citing Mallarmé's subtraction and D'Annunzio's accumulation as responses to the threat of mass media to poetic language. Maloberti, creator of 'Marmellate' and 'Martellate' projects, describes his practice as an accumulation of words and images, but also emphasizes the need for emptiness. He references Hans Haacke's 'Germania' and advises his NABA students to be 'half-empty glasses' to remain open to new stimuli. The discussion expands to critique the overabundance of art, with Isgrò stating 'there is too much art' and calling for an 'Aristotelian' art that poses questions rather than providing answers. Maloberti champions art that disrupts communication, quoting Giulio Paolini. The dialogue touches on marketing, political communication, and the role of art in a globalized, virtual society.