Colonne Perse 2000

Ettore Spalletti made these three 'Colonne Perse', or Lost Columns, in dove grey. I imagine Spalletti slowly building up the layers of paint, almost like he's coaxing these forms into being. The surface looks smooth, but I bet if you got up close, you’d see subtle variations in texture and tone. There's something serene about these columns. They’re like silent witnesses, holding space with their quiet presence. The grey feels so elemental. I can imagine Spalletti thinking about the relationship between color, form, and space, maybe even drawing inspiration from minimalist sculpture. He has taken the classical form of a column, stripped of its detail and ornamentation, leaving behind something pure and essential. Painters are always talking to each other, across time and space, about color, form, and surface. And in the end, it’s the viewers who carry on the conversation.