Whitestone Gallery Taipei is pleased to announce “In the Matter of Color II,” a group exhibition featuring four renowned contemporary Italian artists: Turi SIMETI (b.1929-2021), Alberto BIASI (b.1937-), Pino PINELLI (b.1938-2024), and Natale ADDAMIANO (b.1943-). Expanding upon the theme of color from our previous exhibition in 2018, this exhibition focuses on color as its main topic of discussion as well as examines the trajectories of the four artists’ artistic creations. Encompassing works created from 1960s to recent years, the exhibition not only reveals the importance of the four artists in Italy from the post-war period to the 1970s, but also explores the core value of Italian art in the artistic landscape. In collaboration with "MOT SELECT", the exhibition combines multiple sets of museum-grade Italian classic designer furniture in the gallery space. Art and design concepts engage in dialogue through elements such as color, line, form, and the application of modern materials, unraveling the development trend of Italian aesthetics. At the same time, it showcases the charming Italian style of bright, lively, and avant-garde yet with elegance. "In the Matter of Color II" will be on view from May 11th to June 29th with an opening reception scheduled for May 11th (Sat) at 5:00 pm. We are pleased to announce that Millais Kao, Director of JUT LIVING, and Felix Kwok, Head of Modern Art, Sotheby's Asia, will be our esteemed speakers for a lecture titled “A Stroll through Milano” at 5:30 pm.

Color is read through its consistencies, thicknesses, and malleable expressive flexibility. This is the crucial theme that is developed, always with that amazed different inclination, inspiration, and temperament, in their interpretations. The four artists never abandoned this element as a primary subject in their practice, consistently identifying it as an essential entity. They delve inside and behind the matter, exploring the weight of color's concreteness. This exploration promotes the extremes of polarity, shaping and defining the ideal outline of their careers. Their artistic journey began in Italian art since the 1960s and continues to the present day. They remain active and untiring visionaries, making them indispensable points of reference for us. In the decade following World War II, 'Art Informel' became a prevalent art movement, encompassing many styles of abstract painting in Europe. This movement advocated for various forms of lyrical and free expression as a departure from the structured forms of traditional European art. In this context, economically prosperous Northern Italy, particularly since the 1960s, witnessed the vibrant development of significant art groups and movements. All four artists featured in this exhibition were based in Milan, a hub of artistic activity. Each pursued their unique paths during this era.

Turi Simeti was a member of ‘Zero Group.’ His initial artworks were influenced by Alberto Burri, the figure of 'Arte Povera,' whose studio he frequented with great interest during early 1960s. Simeti’s participation in the exhibition Zero Avantgarde, held in 1965 at Lucio Fontana Studio in Milan, plays a crucial role in his career. The recurring oval shape is the signature thematic element in Simeti's creations, inspired by avant-garde predecessors. Simeti liberates the canvas from the essence of objects by using monochromatic ovals as a visual form, displaying individual traits characterized by analytical intuition. By stacking single colors, Simeti's works show absolute tranquility by stacking single colors, allowing viewers to encounter the sensory experience of materiality in objects. Simeti's works have been presented in numerous solo and group exhibitions, such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. His works are included in prominent collections including the MAM in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, the Wilhelm-Hack-Museum in Ludwigshafen Germany and so on.

Alberto Biasi is one of the founders of the historic 'Gruppo N (Gruppo Enne)' and a representative artist of ‘Kinetic Art,’ ‘Programmed Art,’ and ‘Op Art.’ Biasi participated in the 1965 “Responsive Eye” exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which is regarded as the peak of the Op Art movement. Biasi's geometric paintings explore the possibilities of visual distortion in art creation, with mathematical precision and symmetry. He was one of the earliest artists to experiment with kinetic illusions. These illusions could be created by blending traditional and non-traditional art materials in two-dimensional and three-dimensional works, including the use of modern materials like PVC. His works generate kinetic effects through the interaction of light and the motion of the viewers. Biasi has participated in many international exhibitions. These include the Biennale of Venice in 1964 and 1986, the Quadriennale of Rome in 1972, 1986, and 2004, as well as the Biennale of São Paulo in 1971. His works are part of prestigious public collections and museums such as the MoMA in New York, the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome, and the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

Pino Pinelli is one of the authoritative masters of the ‘Pittura Analitica (Analytical Painting)’ movement, characterized by the analysis of the material components of artworks and the relationship between the artist and the artwork. Through this analysis, the reality reference, expressiveness, and underlying meanings of the paintings are liberated from the canvas and pigments. Pinelli inherits the free spirit of creating art purely about materials from the Zero Group. He also adopts the material and object liberation perspective of Analytical Painting. He breaks the boundary of the canvas, extensively uses monochrome, and transforms textures and materials on the painting surface. This creates resonance in psychological and perceptual spaces, showcasing the essence of painting and presenting a broad and dynamic style. Pinelli has participated in many crucial exhibitions. These include the Biennale of Venice in 1986 and 1997, the Quadriennale of Rome in 1986 and 2006. Additionally, his works have been exhibited in the Musée d’Art Moderne Paris and the National Gallery Rome, among others.

Natale Addamiano, who graduated from the Brera Academy in Milan in 1972, has consistently integrated his contemplation on formal tension into his artistic trajectory, with color being a key element in his artistic practice. The artist adeptly manipulates color in his creations, unfolding the metaphysical dimensions of time and space. For instance, in the 1970s, during a major solo exhibition at the Galleria Solferino in Milan, he used dark tones to metaphorically express emotional attachment to his hometown. He established a psychological inner time and space distinct from the linear time of the objective world through color. His acclaimed 'Starry Sky' series, which began in the 2000s, reveals a profoundly romantic vision reminiscent of poetry and showcases the artist's worldview. Through careful modulation of paint hues, he portrays his passion for traditional yet expressive painting techniques. Addamiano served as the head of the painting department at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts from 1976 until 2007. He has participated in many significant exhibitions and received numerous awards, including the Triennale dell’Incisione at Milan’s Palazzo della Permanente in 1991 and the Biennale di Milano in 1994. To date, he has held many significant solo and group exhibitions, and his works are widely collected by international institutions and private collectors.