Lot 25 N

Lucio Fontana began his groundbreaking series of the Buchi (Holes) in 1949; with the very earliest of these being vortex of pierced elements produced on white screens of linen paper, that the artist went on to exhibit for the first time in 1952 at the Galleria del Naviglio, Milan. By perforating the surface, Fontana introduces a new spatial dimension to the traditional pictorial practice, which will lead eventually to his most iconic Tagli (Slashes). Nevertheless, drawing, always played a fundamental role in the artist's research, representing the main point of connection between his various output and also a privileged mean to express his creative freedom. The present 'Concetto Spaziale' well testifies of the constant conceptual strive and intimate graphical structure throughout Fontana's oeuvre, and across all mediums he experiments with.
Within a characteristic thus symbolic oval form, few scattered highlights of ink at opposite ends of the perimeter build-on the sculptural quality of the composition, whilst a swirling pattern of tears and punctures revolve around the core of the work.
"Beyond perspective [...] The Hole is, precisely, creating this void behind there [...] I make holes, infinity passes through them, light passes through them, so that there is no need to paint" (Lucio Fontana in Carla Lonzi, Autoritratto, De Donato, Bari, 1969, p. 169-171)