Ben Ormenese Salo Exhibition MuSa: The Rediscovery of an Innovative Master
Ben Ormenese Salo Exhibition MuSa: The Rediscovery of an Innovative Master
Exhibition open until October 4, 2026: ‘The Still Space of Becoming’, curated by Anna Lisa Ghirardi and Leonardo Conti for the Civica Raccolta del Disegno.
by Pino Mongiello
The exhibition currently staged at the MuSa in Salò dedicated to Ben Ormenese Salo Exhibition MuSa (1930–2013)—a major 20th-century artist who remained away from the spotlight for nearly twenty years—is enjoying remarkable critical acclaim.
Credit goes to curator Anna Lisa Ghirardi and Leonardo Conti (archivist of the Ormenese archive), who arranged the master’s works with refined rigor, inviting visitors to reflect deeply on visible vs. invisible and the source of becoming in art.
Influenced by Lucio Fontana’s Spatialism and research on light and color starting in the 1960s, Ben Ormenese moved from architecture to structured drawings. He expanded flat surfaces through overlapping layers, scuffing cotton cardboard, and inserting slatted elements to reconfigure spatial effects.
At the end of the 1970s, as Leonardo Conti recounts, the master entered a profound crisis, destroying most of his studio works and disappearing completely. Agostino Bonalumi later remarked: ‘Ormenese? He was one of the best among us, but then he suddenly vanished.’ Almost twenty years passed before his rediscovery in a Milan gallery alongside Alberto Burri.
After 2000, his production on paper marked a ‘new season of light,’ as he continued experimenting with cosmic abstraction until his sudden death in 2013.
Visiting this exhibition at the MuSa in Salò offers an unforgettable journey liberating the mind toward grand imaginative designs of the personal and cosmic universe.
Read more from GN Magazine – August 2026
Curzio Malaparte Italian Literature: La Pelle, Maledetti Toscani and Prato’s Rags
Discover Curzio Malaparte Italian Literature: Alberto Pachera’s analysis of La Pelle, Maledetti Toscani, and the legendary history of Prato’s rags.
Trans-Siberian Railway: History of the World’s Longest Line
Discover the epic history of the Trans-Siberian Railway, spanning 9,288 km across Russia, built through immense determination, foreign engineering, and sheer human endeavor.
Wels Catfish Lake Garda Emergency: Contextualizing Environmental Challenges
Explore the Wels Catfish Lake Garda Emergency by Filippo Gavazzoni: containment strategies, native fish protection, and sewage purification priorities.
GN Magazine – August 2026
Digital index and English edition of GN Magazine August 2026 (Issue 212). Discover articles on Lake Garda history, culture, and nature.
Borage Edible Flowers Green Advice: The Green Witch August Guide
Discover Borage Edible Flowers Green Advice by Marina Boschetti: cultivation tips, culinary uses in savory pies, and eco-friendly water recycling.
Emilio Berti and Lake Garda’s Mandolin Tradition: Adriana’s Memories
Discover the story of Emilio Berti (1908-1987) and Lake Garda’s mandolin tradition, preserved through music, family memories, and passion.
