From Matter To Color

In the white "Cretti," the light is diffused, creating a contrast between light and dark, while in the black ones, the cracks are less visible: the webbed matrix begins to appear as light reflects off the shiny surface. This subtlety and transparency is less evident in his colored serigraphs. Burri showcases the vivacity of each color and the way the piece’s vital energy increases when they are placed side by side. The color appears to take on a feeling of weight, as though it has assumed the status of physical "matter."

Burri therefore saw graphic production as a new opportunity for risky experiments. The printers who worked with him over the years, such as Enrico Castelli (founder of the print house with the same name on Via Flaminia in Rome) and Valter Rossi of the 2RC print house (also in Rome), can attest to this. They remember Burri as an experimenter and researcher—along with them—into the best technical solutions for achieving the desired results, and a sophisticated investigator of innovative solutions and processes.