294 - AFRO BASALDELLA (Udine, 1912 – Zurich, 1976) – Viale delle Acacie, Plate 13 (1967)

AFRO BASALDELLA (Udine, 1912 – Zurich, 1976) – Viale delle Acacie, Plate 13 (1967) Mosaic on panel. Dimensions: 77 × 151 cm. This abstract and expressionist work features a horizontal composition of intense color, articulated through organic forms, irregular geometric structures, and a complex network of sinuous lines intertwined on a surface dominated by shades of blue, black, brown, and ochre. On the left, large bluish areas are crisscrossed by dark horizontal and vertical strokes, evoking plant structures and tree-like branches. In the central area, a succession of curved forms and calligraphic marks unfolds, among which an oval element in an orange hue stands out. On the far right, the composition becomes denser through the superimposition of black lines, elongated forms, and geometric structures that contrast with the turquoise background. The use of small mosaic tiles lends the surface a remarkable richness of texture and light, allowing the chromatic variations and fragmentation of contours to generate a visual vibrancy characteristic of this technique. The work reflects the artistic language of Afro Basaldella, known as Afro, a key figure in postwar Italian abstraction, whose work is characterized by the integration of gestural elements, biomorphic forms, and a particular sensitivity to the relationships between color, space, and matter. In this composition, the reference to landscape suggested by the title is transformed into an abstract interpretation of plant rhythms and natural structures, where the lines seem to evoke trunks, branches, and visual paths that traverse the pictorial space. Its formal conception shows affinities with certain explorations by Arshile Gorky (1904–1948), particularly in the use of organic forms, floating structures, and symbols evoking nature, as well as with the artistic universe of Joan Miró (1893–1983), due to the use of calligraphic lines, biomorphic elements, and symbolic compositions. Parallels can also be drawn with ...