Synthesis of Radio Communications 1934

Benedetta Cappa's ‘Synthesis of Radio Communications’ is an all-blue dreamscape. Just imagine her there, Cappa, stepping back and forth from the canvas, layering these cerulean, sky blue, and turquoise hues. The image is bisected by a towering radio tower, but it's the cloud-like circles, rendered like pure sound waves that pull me in. They ripple out, enveloping a watery globe of the earth. The paint feels thin and airy, like watercolors or gouache, which lets the whole image breathe and resonate with a sense of calm and wonder. I imagine Cappa thinking, "How can I make a painting that 'hears' the world?". This artwork invites us to contemplate the invisible, the abstract, and the interconnectedness of humanity through the ethereal medium of radio waves, which many artists have explored – from Malevich to Warhol. Artists are always conversing with one another across time, each with their unique vision.