Dino Formaggio: an introduction

Abstract

The article provides an overview of Dino Formaggio’s personality and thought, both centred on the concept of «making». Making originates in the sensory world and in the body, understood as the source of an inner energy that needs to express itself. It is manifested, firstly, in teaching, which Formaggio regarded as a mission and as a space for dialogue, solidarity, and socialisation. Study does not represent sacrifice, but rather an intensification of life. Making is also realised through artistic creativity in painting, sculpture, and poetry. Aesthetic experience should be neither contemplative nor passive, but active and transformative: seeing, listening, and making. This activity ranges from the inner recreation of a work to its historical and philosophical interpretation. The philosophy of art is not a secondary pursuit either, since thought arises from making and must be realised and transformed through activity itself.