Untitled 1966

Rodolfo Aricò made this untitled work with paint, and it looks like he was thinking through the process as he went. The shade of red is so vibrant, it’s like the colour is jumping off the canvas towards you. You can almost feel Aricò layering the paint, one shape over the other; the surface texture is so smooth and seamless. The way the shapes overlap creates a sense of depth, like one form is gently peeking out from behind the other. The edges are rounded and soft, inviting you to trace the shapes with your eyes. It feels incredibly balanced, this simple composition, but there’s a tension too, like the shapes are about to shift or slide. I see a connection to Ellsworth Kelly, another artist who loved playing with colour and shape. It’s like Aricò is in conversation with the history of abstraction, while still finding his own unique voice. Ultimately, it's a painting that embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own interpretations and experiences to the canvas.