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Lot Essay
Concetto spaziale, Attese, executed in 1961, has a group of almost symmetrical vertical slashes that, despite Fontana's usual avoidance of the figurative in such works, hint at a sense of perspective. This visual depth is wholly suited to Fontana's explorations of space in his works. Fontana believed that his art went hand in hand with the Space Age in forging a path '...beyond perspective... the discovery of the cosmos is a new dimension, it is infinity, so I make a hole in this canvas, which was at the basis of all the arts and I have created an infinite dimension... the idea is precisely that, it is a new dimension corresponding to the cosmos' (Fontana, quoted in E. Crispolti, 'Spatialism and Informel. The Fifties', pp.144-150 in Lucio Fontana, ed. E. Crispolti & Rosella Siligato, Milan, 1998, p.146). Thus in Concetto spaziale, Attese, Fontana has unveiled a new world of possibilities, a new level upon which art can exist. Although it hangs on a wall, its mysterious and inviting slashes imply that an infinity lies beyond it: 'The hole is, precisely, creating this void behind there... Einstein's discovery of the cosmos is the infinite dimension, without end. And so here we have: foreground, middleground and background... to go farther what do I have to do?... I make holes, infinity passes through them, light passes through them, there is no need to paint' (Ibid.).
With this cut, with this gesture, Fontana has created a boundless imaginary space where anything can happen, but at the same time he has avoided and even removed the traditional domain of painting, the 'foreground, middleground and background'. By cutting the canvas, he has made the artifice of the vanishing point completely redundant, has added an authentic three-dimensionality that reveals the futility of any figurative attempt to portray space. The tapering form of the slashes accentuates this. These holes create the vaguest impression of an alley, of some form of avenue, and yet, as light and air pass through them, they actively and openly defy these limitations of representation. These slashes, which proclaim representation obsolete, appear almost iconic, dark lines against the strong red background. This visual strength means that Concetto spaziale, Attese appears as a manifesto in its own right - it is the standard of Spatialism, demonstrating a means through which art can continue to be relevant in the age of space travel. It encourages the viewer to a leap of faith, and in the dynamic world of the modern age tries to goad us into a new understanding of art and art's infinite possibilities.
With this cut, with this gesture, Fontana has created a boundless imaginary space where anything can happen, but at the same time he has avoided and even removed the traditional domain of painting, the 'foreground, middleground and background'. By cutting the canvas, he has made the artifice of the vanishing point completely redundant, has added an authentic three-dimensionality that reveals the futility of any figurative attempt to portray space. The tapering form of the slashes accentuates this. These holes create the vaguest impression of an alley, of some form of avenue, and yet, as light and air pass through them, they actively and openly defy these limitations of representation. These slashes, which proclaim representation obsolete, appear almost iconic, dark lines against the strong red background. This visual strength means that Concetto spaziale, Attese appears as a manifesto in its own right - it is the standard of Spatialism, demonstrating a means through which art can continue to be relevant in the age of space travel. It encourages the viewer to a leap of faith, and in the dynamic world of the modern age tries to goad us into a new understanding of art and art's infinite possibilities.