Riflessi Marini 1991

Bruno Cassinari made Riflessi Marini using luscious paint and decisive marks. Just imagine him, in front of the canvas, maybe outside, squinting to see reflections on the sea’s surface. The way the paint is applied, thick and loaded, makes me think he worked fast, trying to capture a feeling. See how the strokes of blue at the bottom vibrate against the strokes of green? The push and pull between colors creates such a lively surface. I love how Cassinari is in conversation with the Fauves, but also with the Italian masters. Look at that flash of orange—a total surprise—it almost vibrates off the canvas! The painting makes me think about how we carry our history in our gestures. Cassinari is gone, but we can experience the world the way he experienced it.