Marche 1999

Curator: Here we have Franco Fontana's "Marche," a landscape photograph created in 1999. It's an incredible example of his ability to transform the ordinary into something visually striking. Editor: Wow. It feels like I’m looking at a minimalist painting rather than a photograph. It’s intensely serene but also has a bit of a disorienting quality. The sloping lines pull my eyes in different directions. Curator: Precisely. Fontana utilizes a strong sense of geometry here. The composition hinges on these parallel, diagonal lines of varying greens and yellows, segmented fields viewed from an elevated perspective. Editor: And the colors! They're not just green; there's a whole spectrum, like variations in an orchestra, really gives depth to a pretty simple image. Curator: Indeed. Fontana was master of color photography. Notice the almost unnatural saturation; it enhances the abstract quality. The stark, contrasting lines create a tension between realism and abstraction. This interplay is what defines Fontana's distinct style, also drawing from Color Field painting. Editor: You know, it's funny. Even though it’s just fields, the rhythm almost feels urban to me, like the angles of skyscrapers packed together. And just that tiny row of trees almost grounded the image Curator: That juxtaposition is insightful. It's a constructed reality, meticulously framed. The light also plays a critical role, highlighting the textures and contributing to the flattening of the space. The print itself further emphasizes this, devoid of strong shadows, favoring overall evenness. Editor: It’s incredible to think that all this texture, geometry, and saturation comes from the real world rather than manipulated in a studio. You almost don't know if you're looking at a photograph until someone tells you. Curator: Exactly. Fontana is revealing the inherent art within the world. His work encourages a re-evaluation of how we perceive reality and what constitutes beauty. Editor: After this, I'll never look at a field the same way again! Thank you for sharing those perspectives. It made the photo come alive for me. Curator: My pleasure. Reflecting on Fontana’s “Marche,” one sees how powerful photographic formalism becomes through this focused blend of color, line, and form, creating an undeniably impactful piece of art.