The Material of Ornament

The Material of Ornament – The two books by Chiara Bertola and Fiona Biggiero, from the studio of Joseph Kosuth, bring together art, architecture and ornament in a walk through the streets of Venice.

Material of Ornament and To Invert Relations (for Carlo Scarpa) are two small, precious and practically impossible-to-find books (Trolley Publisher) that have now been republished for the 58th Venice Art Biennale. Respectively dedicated to two of the most fascinating of Joseph Kosuth’s works, which integrate with the city and the Grand Canal, the books present motivation, inspiration and concepts as they examine the subject of works in urban spaces. Curated by Chiara Bertola and Fiona Biggiero from the studio of Joseph Kosuth, these books, with their silver and black covers, one the negative image of the other, accompany the works and the hypothetical viewer intend on seeking them out in Venice. They accompany this viewer on a walk in which art, architecture and the city are brought together in the work of Kosuth, who has the extraordinary capacity of creating art that integrated with its surroundings, or rather of including context in his works.