Colonne Perse 2000

Ettore Spalletti made these 'Colonne Perse' sometime in his career. The pastel, powdery blue he uses feels very specific, somehow both industrial and ethereal. I'm really struck by the surface of these objects; it's clearly built up through layers, a testament to time, a quality Spalletti returned to again and again. You can imagine him, day after day, applying thin washes, each one modifying the last, until this perfect, quiet blue emerges. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi, another Italian artist obsessed with subtle gradations of colour and tone. Look closely at the edges, where the planes meet. There's a slight blurring, a softness that belies the geometric forms. This is what I love about Spalletti’s work; it’s never too rigid or dogmatic. It’s about feeling and nuance.