Holes, Stones, Cuts

Lucio Fontana's room displays many of the masterpieces purchased over the years by collectors Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano.

Almost all of them are called "Concetto spaziale" ("Spatial Concept"), but in reality behind this unique name there are several series that represent a decade of work, that of the fifties.

With other artists in 1947 Lucio Fontana wrotes the "First Manifesto of Spatialism", where he said: "It is impossible that the man from the canvas (…) does not pass to the pure aerial, universal and suspended image".

Le Pietre – Stones (1952-56)

Lucio Fontana called “Pietre” (“Stones”) the fragments of coloured glass that he applied to the canvases of the homonymous serie.

In the House Museum we also preserve some of this fragments that Lucio Fontana gave to collectors, Antonio and Marieda.

The surface of the “Stones” series was usually covered with coloured oil and full of holes.
The stones pasted on the perforated surface create a new spatial dimension: jutting out they contrast with the hollows created by the holes.

The black 1955 "Spatial Concept" is linked to the decoration for the facade of a church. According to Antonio Boschi, the stones on the left represent an angel, those on the right an obelisk.

The white 1956 "Spatial Concept" is instead also called "The Stream", maybe on indication of the same artist.
These works open up new imaginary paths.

Antonio Boschi was not only a collector of Lucio Fontana but also his great friend. They often met on Saturday evenings, in the living room on Via Jan.

One of his favorite paintings was a "Spatial Concept" by Lucio Fontana from the "Pietre" series. To see it you have to look up at the wall.

We see the great white "Spatial Concept" hanging on the wall in a 1982 shot of the entrance.

I Tagli - Cuts (1958-1968)

The "Cuts" are perhaps the most famous works of Lucio Fontana, characterized by one or more clean cuts, made with the intention of going beyond the surface of the canvas itself.

Fontana's concentration was entirely turned in gesture: a solitary ceremony.

In this series the title “Concetto spaziale” ("Spatial Concept") is followed by a subtitle, “Attesa” o “Attese” ("Waiting" or "Waitings"), depending on the number of cuts made.

The first paintings in this series have the surface almost always covered with aniline, then replaced by water-based paint, better if monochrome.
Initially arranged in tight sequences, the "Cuts" they then tend to be reduced to a few or only one.

Fontana's work also concerns the back of the painting: a black gauze is applied to block the light. Nothing is left to chance.