Synthesis of Telegraphic and Telephonic Communications 1934

Benedetta Cappa made this painting, Synthesis of Telegraphic and Telephonic Communications, with paint, but exactly when remains something of a mystery. The colour is fascinating here, a beautiful range of blues and greens that are like different kinds of weather, or different emotional states. The paint is mostly flat and matte, but there are moments where you can see the texture of the brush, like in the angular shapes on the left. Look at the squiggly lines that runs down the centre - they are like sound waves, or a visual representation of energy being transmitted. It’s so delicate against the flatness of the other shapes! I think Cappa was definitely looking at the work of other artists, maybe someone like Sonia Delaunay, who was also interested in colour and abstraction. For me, this piece is a good reminder that art is always a conversation, an exchange of ideas across time.