Universal 1986

Mimmo Rotella's "Universal" is a collage of torn posters, a kind of urban archaeology mounted on canvas. I love the way Rotella lets the city speak through these fragments. Imagine him walking around, seeing these layered, ripped posters – a palimpsest of urban life. What drew him to this particular combination of images? Was it the bold red of "GIANTS," the promise of "Universal International," or the faded portrait at the bottom? The act of tearing and layering – it's almost violent, but also tender. He's not just destroying; he's composing, creating a new kind of image. This reminds me of Kurt Schwitters, who used trash to make art. It’s also a bit like what painters do – building up layers, scraping them away, revealing what’s underneath. Artists are always responding to each other across time and space. Ultimately, this piece invites us to embrace the beauty in decay, the poetry in the everyday.