Presenza attiva 1973

Curator: Well, I’m immediately drawn to how deceptively simple it appears, until you start tracing all those lines. It creates such a vibrant internal energy. Editor: Let’s orient ourselves. What we’re looking at is a 1973 acrylic painting called "Presenza attiva" or "Active Presence", by Galliano Mazzon. Mazzon was deeply involved with geometric abstraction and hard-edge painting, and that’s quite clear here. Curator: Right. Geometric shapes are timeless. The lozenge containing the other geometric figures resonates with esoteric symbols like the Vesica Piscis, suggesting transformation and alignment. I mean, look at how the golden-yellow field plays against that interior diamond; the effect feels like a portal. Editor: Yes, I agree that the symbolism feels potent. In the context of the early 70's, where abstraction offered a fresh perspective after representational styles, could this be seen as a response to institutional artistic constraints? Abstraction certainly gave artists the freedom to avoid direct political commentary, yet make work brimming with emotional weight. Curator: Exactly. The canvas almost becomes a field for meditative focus, rejecting any need for recognizable iconography but suggesting psychological insight and depth. I’m thinking particularly about how modernist movements were exploring new ways of visual communications at the time. The artwork operates, therefore, as an intervention, reshaping expectations for artistic engagement within society. Editor: So, it’s not just the geometric shapes, but also this dance of muted hues. They contribute to the overall impact. The blues, oranges and yellows speak to a complex interior landscape despite their hard edges, a calm but undeniably charged "presence." Curator: Precisely. It’s a statement about finding meaning not in overt messaging, but in actively experiencing visual dynamics. And you can also consider that by ’73, hard-edge was waning. So, did Mazzon intentionally revitalize it with this piece, or critique its previous dogmatism? Editor: Regardless of intent, I am left with a lingering sense of balance... that quiet but determined equilibrium you find when disparate parts unify to make something harmonious. Curator: Absolutely. It asks a lot of the viewer, but offers, in return, a dynamic dialogue—something quietly radical.