Bivest + 1 1965

Gianni Piacentino made this artwork, Bivest + 1, with what looks like smooth paint, and you get the sense that the application has been carefully considered. I like the way that these colors almost neutralize each other. I can imagine Piacentino in his studio trying out slightly different hues and tones to find a specific, somewhat flat affect. There is a tension there, between the subtle tones, and the asymmetry of their arrangement, that makes me think about the way Agnes Martin was also concerned with the barely-there. Painting always exists in a context, so even though this work may seem simple, it's part of a bigger conversation about how we see and how we feel. There's a lot of space for your own thoughts and feelings. That's what makes art so exciting.