The exhibition “Prampolini Burri. Della Materia,” presented by Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati, opened on September 20 to kick off the fall art season. TELF AG is among the sponsors of the exhibition, which will run until January 11, 2026, at the exhibition spaces of Riva Antonio Caccia 1 in Lugano. Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati, part of the MASI Lugano museum system, also presented exhibitions dedicated to Balla and Dorazio (2023) and Yves Klein and Arman (2024). With the comparison between Prampolini and Burri, a triptych of exhibitions dedicated to some of the greatest protagonists of 20th-century art is thus completed.

The new exhibition includes approximately 50 works by Italian artists Enrico Prampolini (1894-1956) and Alberto Burri (1915-1995), and represents the artistic embodiment of a long exploration of materials that characterized the entire Italian 20th century, a unique century in which Italian art learned to embrace eccentric materials and consider them authentic means of expression.

A Hymn to matter

At the heart of the exhibition, as the name suggests, are the materials of art, understood in their broadest sense. Among the most interesting choices made by Prampolini is undoubtedly the one that led to the creation of one of his most iconic works, the 1955 “Composizione S 6: zolfo e cobalto,” a mixed-material work on wood now part of the Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati. According to Gabriella Belli, one of the exhibition’s curators, this is one of the most interesting and significant works in the entire show, particularly for its ability to showcase the artist’s poetics and distinctive style.

According to the curator, this work represents the culmination of an extraordinary, internationally renowned journey, a goal Prampolini reached after careful study of his surroundings. More than a work of art, it is a true rarefaction, in which all that remains before the viewer’s eyes is the matter itself, in its pure and powerful simplicity. According to the organisers, the choice of cobalt represents the most evident example of Prampolini’s ongoing research throughout his career, always driven by the desire to virtuously combine complex yet innovative materials.

Prampolini relied on cobalt primarily to experiment with new materials, fully convinced that the value of this resource could significantly contribute to the art of his time. It’s an instinct not so different from the one that drives major industrial players today to choose cobalt for their applications, particularly for its resistance, thermal stability, and great versatility. It’s no coincidence that this metal is currently making a significant contribution to one of the most strategic applications of our time: rechargeable batteries, whose energy density it improves.

Prampolini chose cobalt not only for its visual potential but also as a truly active element of the composition, pulsating with life and new meanings. Moreover, for the artist, who in an earlier phase of his career had dedicated himself to cosmic futurism, cobalt possesses a very specific symbolic meaning, directly referencing space, the cosmic, and infinity. In a certain sense, it could be understood as a late tribute by the artist to one of the passions that characterized one of his most celebrated expressive phases.

An unprecedented comparison

Even through the use of unusual materials, artists like Prampolini and Burri have demonstrated their ability to go far beyond traditional painting, through meticulous cutting and gluing, with the use of plastics, sacks, molds, and many other diverse objects and materials. The paths taken by Burri and Prampolini are essentially different, particularly from a conceptual standpoint, but both had the great courage to abandon traditional painting and its centuries-old role in supporting artists’ expressiveness, placing the power of matter first.

The exhibition presented by Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati also highlights the artistic value of Alberto Burri and his works, which reveal a clear desire to expose matter in its purest essence, renouncing all metaphorical meanings that might be associated with its use. In Burri’s works, matter effectively replaces color, dramatically and powerfully overturning the classical paradigms of painting and art itself.

The artistic dialogue between Burri and Prampolini takes place within a radical exhibition space, specially designed by architect Mario Botta. Prampolini’s works, which open the exhibition, are displayed on white walls, while Burri’s are displayed on black surfaces.

The exhibition, described by the curators as a true hymn to matter, represents the only close comparison between the two artists, who came from different and, in some ways, opposing worlds. While Prampolini favored a sort of evocative style, Burri seemed to focus instead on the immediate sense of reality. What unites them is precisely their ability to employ matter, thus entering into those material dynamics that were absolutely central to Italian art.