Joseph Kosuth. The Material of the Ornament

Thanks to its years-long commitment, the Fondazione is proud to switch Joseph Kosuth’s neon signs back on after their extensive restoration.

The artist bent them to trace words: earth, air, water… Primordial elements that communicate with the sixteenth-century architecture, creating a relationship between the past and the contemporary: a linguistic and visual game that invites the viewer to reflect on the role of art. The Material of the Ornament, a permanent installation created in 1997 for the Venice Art Biennale, and part of the Sarajevo 2000 project, was inspired by John Ruskin’s The Stones of Venice (1853) and is a sort of manifesto for the Querini Stampalia because it is a visual expression of its mission: conserving the future.

The restoration work was carried out by Neonlauro, an artisanal company which has worked in the art sector for many years, working with major artists, including Joseph Kosuth, to create neon works. The restoration of The Material of the Ornament, which the Fondazione Querini Stampalia has been advocating for some time, was made possible thanks to the precious support of Infinityhub and Lares Restauri. The three companies involved in the restoration are partners of OpificioQuerini, the Fondazione’s corporate membership, whose aim is to make and promote culture through initiatives that bring together people from cultural and entrepreneurial backgrounds who share the same values, which in this case were reinforced by a joint project.

The Fondazione Querini Stampalia and its partner companies support avant-garde projects in which the role of art, literature, architecture and photography are central to tackling themes related to the contemporary, as was the case here.