Exrazio 1968

Lucio Pozzi made this watercolor painting, 'Exrazio,' using delicate washes and a kind of patterned mark-making. I can almost see Lucio in the act, tilting the paper this way and that, coaxing the watery pigment to flow and settle, making lots of little marks. The color palette is muted, mostly greens, browns, and tans. I think the little dabs of paint evoke a sense of natural forms, like maybe rain trickling down a window, or sunlight filtering through leaves, or the texture of tree bark. Each mark is so small and casual, but collectively they build up a dense, vibrating surface. I think what’s cool about this work is the way it finds a balance between representation and abstraction. It’s not quite either, but somehow both. And that makes me think of other painters who find inspiration in the everyday world. Painting is like one big conversation across time!