Untitled 1955

Curator: So here we have an untitled oil painting by Antonio Corpora, created in 1955. It exemplifies Corpora's exploration of abstract expressionism. What strikes you about it initially? Editor: The way those fractured forms reach skyward, bathed in this ethereal light, it’s almost apocalyptic, but hopeful too. Like witnessing the birth of something new from the ashes of the old. The tension is incredible! Curator: Yes, Corpora masterfully uses layering to create that tension. If you look closely, you’ll see how he applies the paint, building up these textural masses that suggest landscape without explicitly depicting it. Consider also that period, a post-war landscape grappling with trauma through artmaking and material use. Editor: It’s all about the raw application of material isn't it? The way he’s thrown those strokes down – you can almost feel the urgency in his gestures. Was he thinking about the scarcity of materials then? I’m intrigued by the choice of colors—the muted blues and greens contrasting with the warmer browns. Was that typical for his landscapes? Curator: Well, Corpora often drew inspiration from his surroundings in Italy. While he never fully abandoned representation, his interest definitely gravitated towards conveying the feeling of a place, a memory. Perhaps less about specific objects, and more a dance of light and colour, something less literal. It is a response not a representation, something to remember with an emotive gesture of the brush. Editor: Absolutely. I wonder about the quality of the pigments available at that time, though, the way they impacted the final surface, that must have been important. Looking at this makes me want to get my hands dirty. I'm very focused on touch when understanding work. Curator: And, maybe, by stripping away the recognisable, Corpora was trying to arrive at something more essential. Art's ability to render and explore, rather than define, right? Editor: A good point. A final note? Perhaps we might consider Corpora’s relationship with the physical reality around him – the materials, his cultural moment. They served him with that emotive and painterly exploration he left in his mark making. Curator: A legacy crafted in light and pigment. I’ll take that!