Béguinage 1918

Enrico Prampolini made this collage using mixed media on board, but we don't know exactly when. The layering of lace, fabric, and even a feather, give it this crazy sense of depth, right? The dark mass at the top feels almost menacing, like a storm cloud, while the lace hints at something delicate. Prampolini really embraced the physicality of his materials; you can see how the textures play off each other, how the light catches on the woven sections versus the wispy bits of the black fabric. Then there's the weave at the bottom left corner, that burst of gold and red sitting right next to the aged lace, so different! I think Prampolini was definitely in conversation with the Dada artists, like Kurt Schwitters, who were also mashing up found objects into something new, something that makes us question what art even is. Ultimately, it’s not about figuring out a single meaning. It’s more about getting lost in the possibilities.