Vincenzo Agnetti

Acquisito direttamente dall'artista negli anni Settanta
Collezione privata, Milano

This work appears to be in generally good overall condition. There are minor and shallow rubbing traces towards the centre of the upper edge and towards the right upper margin, visible under raking light. There are few hairline scratches towards the centre of the left edge, along the upper right edge and by the lower left corner.
"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."

Dal 1968 al 1974 Agnetti realizza lastre di bachelite incisa, trattata con colore ad acqua o nitro. Le definisce Assiomi anche se raramente lo sono, in quanto si tratta perlopiù di paradossi, contraddizioni o tautologie, sovente accostate a grafici, diagrammi o a simboli matematici. "Contraddizioni, paradossi, tautologie servono a portare il linguaggio al cortocircuito, a bloccarne il funzionamento per interrogarsi su esso", spiega l'artista. La bachelite, simile alla lavagna, sottolinea l'apparente intento didattico delle frasi ivi incise che simulano il linguaggio scientifico, ma che ne eliminano l'evidenza e l'inequivocabilità in favore di un'ambiguità polisemica.

From 1968 to 1974 Agnetti made sheets of inscribed bakelite, treated with watercolors or nitro dyes. He defined them as Axioms, even though they rarely are, since they are mainly paradoxes, tautolologies, often places alongside graphs, diagrams or mathematical symbols. "Contradictions, paradoxes, tautologies help to cause language to short-circuit, to stop it from working, so that we may question ourselves about it", the artist explains. The bakelite, visually similar to a blackboard, underlines the apparent didactic intent of the sentences inscribed there, simulating scientific language. However, the evidence is eliminated, they are called into discussion, as the artist brings out their polysemic ambiguity. 

Bruno Corà, Vincenzo Agnetti, Testimonianza, a cura di Ilaria Bernardi, Pistoia 2015, p. 32