Silvia Inselvini
Silvia Inselvini, born in 1987 in Brescia, lives and works in Brescia. For more information, visit the artist's website.
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In one sentence: What is Concrete Art for me?
I would say that my idea of Concrete Art is rather dictionary-like. Concrete Art means that a work of art has value in itself, without the need for any particular interpretation.
Do I see myself as a representative of Concrete Art?
Actually, I never thought of myself as a representative of Concrete Art. There are many points of contact with the Concrete Art Manifesto, and I agree with most of the ideas expressed, but my work, although not symbolic, is not entirely free of a certain lyricism, not intended as an expression of pure subjectivity or sentimentality, but as an evocative dimension.
Who is my favorite artist in the field of Concrete Art? Which position in Concrete Art was particularly formative or impressive for me? Which pioneers of Concrete Art do I see as role models?
My favorite artist is probably Joseph Albers, with his research into the perception of color. In my opinion he is among the artists who best managed to exclude emotionality and subjectivity from the artistic work, which is the position that strikes me most about Concrete Art, without losing depth and intensity. In Albers' works we see a pure expression of color, achieved through the repetition of a rigorous and measured method. Although free of any narrative and symbolic value, we cannot ignore how the quality of the color, which almost seems to radiate a light from within, and the use of precise proportions, are able to transcend the material itself with a profound mysticism. This aspect, in my view, does not contradict the principles of Concrete Art, because the sense of the Sacred is not subjective but universal.
What was my first contact with Concrete Art?
My first contact with Concrete Art came through art history books, which I have always leafed through since I was a child. When you are a child, you think and many times you are told that being an artist means "being able to draw well", so it was very strange for me to see Mondrian's paintings in books, for example. Initially, it provoked a kind of closure, and that happens when you don't have enough tools to understand what you have in front of you. With time came curiosity, and a desire to understand why these kinds of works were of equal importance to those that 'traditionally' we are told are cornerstones of art history.
Have the early days of Concrete Art had a direct influence on my own work as an artist?
When the desire to become an artist started to take shape in me, I never thought my research would be structured in this way. Like many people, my initial interest was in figurative expression with an emotional component, but over time I realised that these aspects were not meaningful to me. It was then that I started to approach abstract art in general, to see how a kind of expressive objectivity could be achieved. So certainly Concrete Art contributed to what my research is today, but the process was gradual and not so direct.
Which principles of Concrete Art have shaped my artistic approach most?
Now that my artistic practice has a clear direction, if I compare myself to the Concrete Art Manifesto, I can say that practically all points have some influence on my work. As I said before, however, I cannot consider my artwork to be entirely free of a certain lyricism. At the same time, although my practice is repetitive and almost mechanical, it is not 'exact' because in the construction of the color layers remains an element of randomness that cannot be controlled.
Color, form, or line? Which fundamental form of artistic expression from Concrete Art is most important to me?
Definitely color.
The manifestos of the pioneers of Concrete Art are for me
- Long-since outdated
- As valid as ever today x
- Much too dogmatic
- Of no relevance at all
- Pioneering for their time
- Still a source of inspiration
- Not radical enough
- Other assessments:
On the hundredth anniversary: Where do I see Concrete Art in another hundred years?
- The movement within fine art that sets the tone
- No longer recognizable as a clearly distinguishable art movement of its own
- Still of great importance x
- In forms and media that cannot be predicted yet
- Other assessments:
And? Is the term Concrete Art still necessary (at all)?
I cannot say whether the term Concrete Art is still necessary, for the simple reason that language – like art – is always evolving and nowadays it is very difficult to pigeonhole art within a specific current.