When it comes to 20th century Italian painting, the work of Lucio Fontana instantly springs to mind. But there’s a slew of influential artists, who spun out non-figurative work far earlier, with some even predating Kandinsky, to take note of. To elucidate this band of then-revolutionary painters, noted scholar and dealer Gian Enzo Sperone has curated ‘Painting in Italy 1910s-1950s: Futurism, Abstraction, Concrete Art’, which opened in New York last week. The Sperone Westwater exhibition features more than 100 abstract examples by artists working before, during and after World War II, with some even painting under the country's repressive Fascist regime.
Above all, they turned away from figurative traditions and explored a new visual vocabulary based overwhelmingly on geometric forms, sharp planes and a primary palette. The especially pioneering painters, Sperone points out, includes Giacomo Balla. ‘Take Balla’s Compenetrazione Iridescente (Study for Iridescent Interpretation) which he painted in 1912, as its totally non-figurative, his approach is truly ahead of his time,’ he says.
Sante Monachesi’s 1937 Alluminio a luce mobile, which translates as 'light mobile aluminum', are actually two relief panels. ‘His raised surfaces are truly revolutionary for their time and predate Lucio Fontana,’ says Sperone. Other examples include Alberto Magnelli's trailblazing 1937 'Peinture 336', in which the artist scraped away portions of paints to enhance the texture. 'Magnelli to some degree led the way for Burri,’ Sperone comments.
The revolutionary works are made even more striking by the gallery's Norman Foster-designed building
The exhibition presents how these pioneering artists turned away from figurative traditions and explored a new visual vocabulary based on geometric forms, sharp planes and a primary palette
It also traces the complex, and often fraught, relationship between art and politics in Italy during the pre-war and post-war period
With works by artists, such as Carla Badiali, Giacomo Balla, Sante Monachesi and Lucio Fontana, on display, the vibrant exhibition truly captures the excitement of the times
INFORMATION
‘Painting in Italy 1910s-1950s: Futurism, Abstraction, Concrete Art’ will be open until 23 January
Photography: Tom Powel Imaging
ADDRESS
Sperone Westwater
257 Bowery
New York
-
A new concept superyacht unfurls, courtesy of Vripack and OceancoExplore Project Lily, a concept superyacht for a new generation of moneyed enthusiasts looking to push the envelope of nautical design
-
Goldwin 0’s latest collection draws on the landscapes of Oregon, the home state of design director Nur AbbasMarking a new chapter for the experimental offshoot of Japanese outdoorwear label Goldwin, Nur Abbas‘ S/S 2025 Goldwin 0 collection draws inspiration from his home state of Oregon, captured in a new photo series released today (21 February 2025)
-
Tour 18 lesser-known modernist houses in South AmericaWe swing by 18 modernist houses in South America; architectural writer and curator Adam Štěch leads the way in discovering these lesser-known gems, discussing the early 20th-century movement's ideas and principles
-
20 years on, ‘The Gates’ makes a digital return to Central ParkThe 2005 installation ‘The Gates’ by Christo and Jeanne-Claude marks its 20th anniversary with a digital comeback, relived through the lens of your phone
-
In ‘The Last Showgirl’, nostalgia is a drug like any otherGia Coppola takes us to Las Vegas after the party has ended in new film starring Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl
-
‘American Photography’: centuries-spanning show reveals timely truthsAt the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Europe’s first major survey of American photography reveals the contradictions and complexities that have long defined this world superpower
-
Miami’s new Museum of Sex is a beacon of open discourseThe Miami outpost of the cult New York destination opened last year, and continues its legacy of presenting and celebrating human sexuality
-
Sundance Film Festival 2025: The films we can't wait to watchSundance Film Festival, which runs 23 January - 2 February, has long been considered a hub of cinematic innovation. These are the ones to watch from this year’s premieres
-
What is RedNote? Inside the social media app drawing American users ahead of the US TikTok banDownloads of the Chinese-owned platform have spiked as US users look for an alternative to TikTok, which faces a ban on national security grounds. What is Rednote, and what are the implications of its ascent?
-
Architecture and the new world: The Brutalist reframes the American dreamBrady Corbet’s third feature film, The Brutalist, demonstrates how violence is a building block for ideology
-
Inside Luna Luna: the amusement park designed by artists lands in New York‘Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy’ – featuring rides by Basquiat, Lichtenstein, Hockney, Haring, and Dalí – has opened at The Shed
