Alberto Burri

Private Collection, Los Angeles (acquired directly from the artist in 1966)
Sale: Sotheby's, Milan, Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, 22 May 2007, Lot 324
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Fondazione Palazzo Albizzini, Eds., Burri, Contributi al Catalogo Sistematico, Cittá di Castello 1990, p. 177, no. 743, illustrated in colour with incorrect orientation

 

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate. The catalogue illustration fails to convey fully the rich plasticity of the surface apparent in the original. Condition (according to the catalogue illustration): This work is in very good condition. On very close examination there are a few extremely fine short cracks in a few isolated places. There is a tiny media loss to the top right extreme corner tip and a further loss below this on the right extreme edge as well as one to the far left side of the lower extreme edge. A light layer of superficial surface dust is adhering to the surface. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultra-violet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Executed in 1964, Nero Plastica is a stunning example from Burri's revolutionary Plastiche series. Volcanic eruptions of shimmering plastic bubble in cascading layers across the gem-sized picture plane in a concentration of energy emphasised by the intimate scale. Extraordinary for its dense treacle-like surface, articulated by red flashes of pigment glimpsed beneath the plastic, Nero Plastica illuminates Burri's ground-breaking explorations into the power and sensuality of materials, and the natural force of fire.

 

In Burri's oeuvre the role of materials is not representational and the compelling presence of matter is the focal point of his work. Having exploited raw, customary and modest materials such as sacco (burlap), legni (wood) and ferri (iron), Burri moved from the use of natural materials to artificial and synthetic ones without a pre-determined form in nature. Fascinated by the idea of using fire as a creative medium, Burri collaborated with the writer Giuseppe Cenza in the preparation of an article for the magazine Civiltà delle Macchine. In that early experiment, Burri burned paper and fabric, suspending the process when he felt he had obtained an expressive image and a surprising impact, adhering the remains to an appropriate sheet. The results were published as an illustration in the November/ December 1955 issue of the magazine. The birth of his paintings came from the destruction of the burnt materials and in this process, as observed by Cesare Brandi, plastic was "a material on the edge of disappearing: the annihilation of the material" (cited in: Cesare Brandi, Burri, Rome 1963, p. 31).

 

Alberto Burri, together with Lucio Fontana, is widely celebrated as the leading pioneer and most influential Post-War Italian artist. Through their incessant research and experimentations, both artists challenged and redefined the limits of the canvas: Fontana with his first Buchi dating from 1949 and Burri by sewing his first burlap in 1950. With Nero Plastica, Burri's explorations into the transformative powers of fire find their ultimate expression. Unique for its visual intensity and rich plasticity, Nero Plastica reveals Burri's innovative approach to image-making, one which would subsequently influence every notable European art movement of the 1970s and beyond.