Lucio Fontana (1899 - 1968)

"Ideas can not refuse, they germinate in society, then thinkers and artists express them" (the "Manifesto Blanco, Buenos Aires, 1946)

Lucio Fontana was born in Argentina in Rosario, Santa Fe, February 19, 1899. His father, Luigi, Italian, and in Argentina for ten years, is a sculptor and his mother, Lucia Bottino, of Italian origin, is a theater actress. In six years, with his father, came to Milan to attend school. In 1910 he began his artistic apprenticeship in his father's shop. He then enrolled in a school for Masters Construction leaving to enlist as a volunteer in the First World War. Wounded, and discharged with a silver medal for valor, then resumed his studies and graduated. In 1921 he returned to Argentina, Rosario in Santa Fe and began his career as a sculptor in the workshop of his father's sculpture. Then opened his own studio in Rosario. Between 1925 and 1927 won some competitions and produces, among others, the monument to Juana Blanco.

Back in Milan in 1928 to enroll as a student of Adolf Wildt, at the Accademia di Brera º course: year-end was promoted to the IV th year. Meanwhile Participate in exhibitions and competitions in Italy, Spain and Argentina. In 1930 Teresita Rasini know who would become his wife. Spacing between figurative and abstract, his sculpture, both in terracotta and plaster, with or without color, it becomes more free and personal. In those years, its important for artistic research, increasingly recognized by leading critics, from Argan Bella, from the Persian Morosini, participates in the Milan Triennial, the Venice Biennale, the Quadrennial of Rome exposes several times at the Gallery million, the potter begins to Albisola and, in 1937, the Manufacture de Sèvres, where he made some small sculptures that exhibits and sells in Paris. Intense, even in this period, his activities with the most avant-garde architects. In early part of 1940 for Buenos Aires, where he settled, working hard and won several competitions for sculpture. Professor of modeling the School of Fine Arts, organized in 1946 with one other private art school: the Academy of Altamira, which became an important center of cultural promotion. And 'here that, in contact with young artists and intellectuals, theories of artistic processes that lead to the publication of the Manifesto Blanco. "

He returned to Milan in April 1947, Fontana founded the "Movement" space, and with other artists and intellectuals, publishes the first manifestation of space exploration. " Resumed the potter Albisola and collaboration with architects. The following year saw the release of the "Second Manifesto of space exploration." In 1949 he exhibited at the Galleria del Naviglio "The space environment in black light" at the same time causing great excitement and buzz. In the same year was born when his most original invention, perhaps motivated by his origins as a sculptor in search of a third dimension makes the first paintings by piercing the canvas. In 1950 he released the "Third Space poster. Proposal for a Regulation." In 1951, the Ninth Triennial, where the first to use neon as an art form, reads his "Technical Manifesto of space exploration." Sharing in the competition for the "Fifth Door of Milan Cathedral" winning a tie with Minguzzi in 1952. In the same year with other artists signed the "Manifesto of the Movement for Space TV", and exhibited his works in a complete space at the Galleria del Naviglio in Milan. Unleashing of new enthusiasm and dismay, as well as forarle, Fontana painted canvases now, we apply color, ink, pastels, collages, glitter, glass fragments, and 'well known and appreciated abroad. In 1957, a series of works on paper thinly, in addition to holes and grRents appear, just mentioned, the cuts which will completely next year, from paintings to more cuts to those monochrome colored glazes entitled "Spatial Concept", "Waiting". Exhibitions and participating in international events are continuing at a pace more intense: the museums, galleries and collectors are buying more sensitive to their works.

A man of great generosity, always ready, even when he did not even physically possible, to help young artists, Fontana encourages them, buys the works, is their gift of his, though in most cases, knows that will be immediately sold. In those years, Fontana made in addition to iron sculptures on legs, a series of works in clay, known as "Nature": a sort of ball on which it operates with large gashes or cut wounds, it also continues to make ceramic works of great and small-format and to cooperate with leading architects to works of "environnement", called "Space Environment", which uses light as a new element, a technique later taken by other artists. In the 60's Fountain is dedicated to a series of oval paintings, oil, all the same size, monochrome and full of holes, quarci, sometimes sprinkled with sequins, which he calls "The End of God." The same theme is found in 1967 in a series of ellipses in lacquered wood in bright colors, unique pieces made up his plan. Between 1964 and 1966 he invented the "theater": wooden frames, shaped and painted monochrome canvases that surround drilled. But does not abandon the "cuts", which remains faithful to the last, and in 1966 for his white room, with blank canvases marked by a single vertical cut, the international jury º XXXIII Venice Biennale awarded him first prize for painting. After leaving Milan and moved to Comabbio, country of origin of his family whom he had restored the old farmhouse, died September 7, 1968. The presence of works by Fontana in the permanent collections of more than one hundred museums around the world are further confirmation of the importance of his art.