The case study presented below is about the OMP Engineering and Fabbrica Alta in Schio, one of the most important monuments of Italian industrial archaeology, and the artist Michele Spanghero. It's an excellent example of what happens when art and the technical knowledge and production processes of a company meet.
For OMP, continuous innovation using new, flexible solutions, along with their own experience and know-how is fundamental. Creativity plays an important role in OMP Engineering too, especially when it comes to communication strategies.
OMP Engineering distinguishes itself throught their an unusual products: they create customized products aimed at "Life Support" and "Logistic Support", both nationally and internationally. For over 50 years, the company has been one of the main suppliers in Italy of modular autonomous systems for NATO forces, Civil Protection, Emergency Response, Government and Non-Governmental Organizations.
The company, despite the apparent rigidity, was extremely open to welcoming an artist, described by Cristina Rodighiero (OMP manager) as "a great thinker, really good and, at the same time, humble and open to collaboration". According to the her, the artist's presence can be a stimulate creativity in the company, especially important for improving communication and encouraging "personal growth of all those who work in the company."
The artist Michele Spanghero is a remarkably prolific creator, having had numerous national and international exhibitions. He began his carreer with as a musician and, shortly after, began experimenting with photography and later on with sculpture as well.
In his research, visual arts and sound art come together with a great passion for theatre, born in the period of university studies. His artistic research investigates the environmental space and above all one of its fundamental components: silence, as a determining element of a circumscribed space.
The result of this somehow unusual and unexpected collaboration is High Rise, a site-specific sound installation in which the artist suspended six aluminium tubes from the ceiling, each as high as each floor of the building, creating a long central perspective line with the aim of developing horizontally the Fabbrica, famous for its verticality. Inside each tube, a speaker emits sound waves in tune with the harmonic resonant frequencies of the building, so as to create not only visually but also acoustically a spatial perception of the place.
This large installation is a further step in Spanghero's research: it is a work that must be appreciated on site for its connection with the structure of which it is both "germination" and representation. In fact, the work returns to that site-specific dimension of the work that is less often observed by the artist: the one generated by a direct link with buildings and which does not allow a transfer to other places.
An artist' s input can be very important for a company such as OMP Engineering: in fact - concludes Cristina Rodighiero - I expect the effects on internal resources and great personal enrichment and cultural growth. I would like to show those who work there how even a "rigid" company, as ours may seem, can come into contact with new and different realities. Even talking with an artist comes with such enrichmen!
This case study highlights how the world of the arts offers new and different tools for strengthening corporate identity and for the enhancement of its human resources with their creative, versatile and multidisciplinary character.
The artist's ability to see beyond comes with different and innovative visions. Plus, it stimulates unexpected reactions in the observer (entrepreneur, employee, customer etc.) and helps managers and entrepreneurs to chenge perspectives in the way they design their products and services, making them truly different.
This satisfies the main needs of companies related mainly to staff motivation, innovation in communication, improvement of their corporate image both internally and externally and increased visibility.
