Bright particles of color float outside the boundaries of a canvas on the gallery walls. Limitless and ephemeral, six of Pino Pinelli's works are on display at the Moscow Multimedia Art Museum (MMAM) until October 23. The landmark monographic exhibition, “Matter, Fragment, Shadow,” is out to bring the Italian artist's unique brand of Analytical Painting to a Russian audience.
“40 years ago I started making art that examines the discourse of monochrome and breaks the traditional concept of the painting,” said Pinelli in an interview with The Moscow Times. “My paintings are frameless,” explained the artist. And they are: disseminated fragments of the artwork meander across space, as if the original painting has somehow exploded outwards, leaving behind its compound essence.
The six artworks on display feature large-scale mixed media geometric forms. Bright pops of primary color characterize the pieces, which have a kind of vital physicality free of their canvas. In Analytical Painting, Pinelli is investigating the very nature of the process — the basic compound components that make a painting.
Pinelli moved to Milan in the 1960's, attracted by the cultural upheaval of the post-war years. Heavily influenced by the Zero movement, which sought to create a new concept of art void of color, emotion and expression, Pinelli began to play with the traditional confines of painting. He took inspiration from artists such as Agostino Bonalumi, Enrico Castellani and Lucio Fontana.
“This is the first in a series of art shows planned by the Italian Culture Institute in Moscow. Our aim is to acquaint the Moscow public with the brave artistic experiments in post-World War II Italy,” said Olga Strada, the director of the Italian Culture Institute in Moscow.
Pinelli is enthusiastic about the experiment: “I am curious to know how the Russian audience will respond to my art. It will be interesting to see how curious people are about what I am looking for with my paintings.”
"Pino Pinelli. Matter, Fragment, Shadow” runs through October 23. Multimedia Art Museum Moscow (MAMM) 16 Ulitsa Ostozhenka, Metro Park Kultury, Oktyabrskaya. mamm-mdf.ru
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
