Ornaghi & Prestinari on Ceramics in Contemporary Art

Valentina Ornaghi (1986) and Claudio Prestinari (1984), an artist duo with architectural backgrounds, discuss their relationship with ceramics in an interview with Irene Biolchini. Their first ceramic experience was a six-month residency in 2017 at Museo Carlo Zauli and MIC – Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, supported by SIAE|Sillumina. They emphasize that their ceramic works emerge from practical experimentation rather than preconceived designs. For example, the series 'Onde' mimics domestic sponge cloths that stiffen into twisted curves as they dry. Their piece 'Paolina' (2017) reinterprets Canova's sculpture, using the internal cavity of the ceramic to hold aquatic plants. The duo sees ceramics as a link between individual and collective histories, bridging nature and civilization, craft and industry. They are drawn to everyday objects like vases, bowls, and tiles, which connect contemporary viewers to ancient artifacts. Their research focuses on 'material culture'—the relationship between humans and objects, including design, production, and consumption. In an age of automation, they explore the meaning of manual labor and the transformation of materials. The interview is part of a series on ceramics in contemporary art, following features on Salvatore Arancio, Alessandro Pessoli, and Francesco Simeti.