Alberto Burri: Black Work: Cellotex 1972-1992

AdistinctivefeatureofAlbertoBurri’sartisticimagery:thetreatmentofblackinhisCellotexworks.Throughaselectionofthirtyworksmadeinatwenty-yeartimespan(1972–92),thevolumeoffersaperspectiveontheexpressiveoutcomesthatmarkedAlbertoBurri’slanguageafterthe1950sand1960s,atatimeinwhichhehadalreadygainedinternationalcriticalacclaim.Cellotex,whichtheartisthadlongusedasasupportforhiscompositions,becamethe"work"itself.Throughagradualprocessofstrippingdown,Burrireachedthebasicunderlyingelement,i.e.thematerialthathadpreviouslybeenapproachedinviewofsomethingelse.Asisthecasewithhismoreiconiccycles(suchasSacchi,Legni,andCombustioniplastiche),matterherecontinuestobetheundisputedprotagonist,capableofsettingtherulesandoffixingcompositionalbalances.