Neovernacular: The Poetry of Waste and Resourcefulness

Fabrizio Bellomo explores the concept of 'Neovernacolare' (Neovernacular), celebrating the creativity born from poverty and waste. He traces examples from Southern Italian cuisine—like cuttlefish ink, bottarga, and 'finto' (fake) sauces made without expensive meat or fish—to craft traditions like patchwork blankets made from yarn scraps. Bellomo argues that these practices, once born of necessity, become luxury items when commodified, losing their poetic essence. He critiques Tomás Saraceno's 'Museo Aero Solar' (2007, Milan) as a rare successful work using discarded plastic bags, contrasting it with Saraceno's other works which he sees as opulent displays for a bored wealthy elite. Bellomo also praises Arte Povera as a major Italian movement that engaged with waste and opulence, though he criticizes certain works like Pistoletto's apple. The essay reflects on how capital can acquire inventions but never the vital spirit that generated them.