Pittura R 1975

Pino Pinelli’s ‘Pittura R’ is a painting made with the simplest of means - just three red panels and a brown band. It’s this economy, this sense of reduction, which really gets me going. The texture is smooth, almost like a wall, with the edges of the panels sharply defined against the wall. But I'm curious if it is a wall! The color is a vibrant, almost acidic pink that pops against the neutral background. The mark making is simple, flat, and direct. The brushstrokes don't revel any of the artist’s hand, so the focus moves to the color. How does the red speak? I'd say it vibrates, it feels insistent! Minimalist works like this remind me of the paintings of Agnes Martin - the way both artists use a limited palette and simple forms to create a sense of calm and contemplation. But where Martin's work is soft and ethereal, Pinelli's is bold and assertive. In the end, neither is the definitive experience, and we get to choose how the art will affect us.