EXHIBITION - REDISCOVERING

GIAN BERTO VANNI:

THE EARLY YEARS - 1952–1960

In Ascensione controllata [Controlled Ascension], Vanni sharpens the visual tension between structured geometric energy and atmospheric chromatic fields. Three jagged, triangular formations rise in an implied vertical arc, anchored within a radiant surface of layered orange, crimson, and golden-brown. Unlike Torneo, where the star-like shapes floated horizontally, here the energy converges in a dynamic ascent, carefully plotted yet brimming with internal propulsion.

The fiery ground is composed through multiple veils of brushed pigment: a deep red base overlaid with scrapes of orange and russet, creating a textured, nearly incandescent surface. These tonal variations are not simply atmospheric, but structural, guiding the eye toward the apex where all directional lines converge. Vanni’s fine yellow striations, nested within the black-and-ochre geometric shards, lend a magnetic pull to the triangular motifs. The forms do not float, but drive through the surface, distorting the surrounding space.

This work retains the chromatic precision and compositional restraint of earlier canvases while introducing a new forcefulness in both surface treatment and linear rhythm. The tension is heightened by the converging vectors that radiate from the triangular forms, stretching the surface like a taut fabric. These angular trajectories are not decorative accents but structural articulations, distributing energy outward from concentrated centers. In the lower margin of the painting, a narrow band composed of alternating ochre and black verticals mirrors the hues and angles of the central forms. This strip functions almost like a visual legend, or a music sore, a condensed recapitulation of the painting’s core elements, while also grounding the ascending movement above.