Ornaghi & Prestinari on Polysemy, Materiality, and the Creative Process

In an interview with Artribune, the artistic duo Valentina Ornaghi and Claudio Prestinari discuss their collaborative practice, emphasizing the role of unexpected outcomes, material transformation, and polysemy in their work. They describe their process as a dialogue where one creates and the other observes, leading to a continuous refinement of ideas. Key works such as 'Abito' (2014), a fireproof suit made of wool, and 'A fior di conio' (2014), a treasure chest with iron coins, illustrate their interest in challenging perceptions and material properties. They reference Bruno Munari's principle 'da cosa nasce cosa' (from one thing comes another) and the importance of external viewers in shaping the meaning of art. The interview also touches on their exhibition 'Keeping Things Whole' at Galleria Continua in San Gimignano, featuring works like 'Inerti'—cement parallelepipeds with floral motifs—and 'Armarsi' (2015), a log held together by vines. They discuss the balance between form and concept, the role of accident and error, and the influence of Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's 'Oblique Strategies'. The conversation is conducted by Davide Dal Sasso, a researcher in aesthetics at IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca.