ARTIST: Danilo Preto (Preda)
TITLE: Cibo d’artista (Artist’s Food)
YEAR: 2025
CATEGORY: Conceptual Art / Mixed Media / Contemporary Assemblage
MEDIUM: Destructured conceptual element, altered tin can and packaging (Existential Subtraction process)
DIMENSIONS: 7x6 cm (can) | 17 cm (packaging)
EDITION: Unique piece (Unicum) - Multiplicity of Idea No. 69
STATUS: Available
CONCEPTUAL DESCRIPTION (English):
Irony has always been a pivotal element in art—used to mock, to play, and to engage in creative dialogue. Illustrious historical examples show us overtly confessed imitations that deliberately distort the original. Moving beyond the purely philosophical narrative and remaining within the boundaries of 20th-century paraphrase, Preda identifies specific subjects and objects ready to be sacrificed on the altar of conceptual dialogue. This dialogue is by no means irreverent toward the author of the original masterpiece; rather, it aims to provoke deeper reflection on what was an incredibly significant chapter in art history, both within Italy and internationally.
Here, the dialogue with Piero Manzoni—the master of provocation and irreverence—is unmistakable. While taking nothing away from his immense artistic greatness and commercial value, irony emerges as a healthy, contagious catalyst for art making, carrying with it profound sociological, philosophical, and cultural implications.
DOCUMENTATION & ARCHIVE:
In accordance with the Preda Manifesto, this unique artwork (No. 69) is formally archived. It includes a comprehensive technical dossier featuring the explanatory movement pamphlet and the rigorous photographic tracking documenting the physical transformation of the piece before and after the artistic subversion