Trasparente. Lineare variabile

The work »Trasparente. Lineare variabile« [Transparent. Linear, variable] is part of the »Tavole Magnetiche« [magnetic panels] by Italian artist Grazia Varisco, and consists partly of magnetic elements. "[...] with the »Tavole Magnetiche«, I started to examine the expressive variation of a surface, utilizing shapes and objects with magnets, which allow to compare opposites such as order – disorder, up – down, before – after, attraction – repulsion, etc." [1]

With »Trasparente. Lineare variabile«, Varisco analyzes the moment of movement. The kinetic sculpture consists of metal netting on which the visitors can place the geometric magnet components anywhere they like. The grid structure allows a vast number of image constellations. Through the active intervention of the visitors, the work of art is changed. Today, however, it is no longer possible to interact with the artwork because of conservation issues.

Diagonals, which are found in many of Varisco’s works, symbolize the moment of transition, of the shift. Moreover, the line can be viewed as a symbol of dynamics and the appropriation of space. Varisco, who in 1960 became a member of »Gruppo T« – T stands for the Italian word »Tempo« [time] – from Milan, developed these motion experiments in the context of the avant-gardet art movement »Arte cinetica« [kinetic arts], which Umberto Eco titled »Arte programmata«. In the 1960s, Italian artists engaged with programmed, that is, kinetic, and random experiments, and in their artworks focused on motion as the fourth dimension.



[1] Grazia Varisco, »Me about Myself« (2016), www.archiviovarisco.it/en/me-about-myself/#pll_switcher.