Reasoned catalogues of the works of modern and contemporary artists make a comeback after a decade of absence from the scene, while Fausto Melotti attracts growing interest on the market and among the critics.
After sculptures and bas-reliefs, a reasoned catalogue of Fausto Melotti’s (1901-1986) complete graphic oeuvre has finally been produced, detailing work in this field by one of the leading lights in abstract sculpture who worked in Italy during the 20th century. The two volumes come complete with reviews by critics Giulio Paolini and Sergio Risaliti and numerous photos and reproductions of the artist’s works. Menotti’s background in engineering and music show in the formal purity of his compositions that blend geometric severity with expressive force. His lightness of touch and the complexity of his work led author Italo Calvino to define him as the invisible acrobat. The geometrically-inspired elements, linear figures and absolute formal purity of Menotti’s style are his hallmark, still arousing interest on the international art circuit as confirmed by the retrospectives organised by the Italian Cultural Institute (May 2008) and the New York Acquavella Galleries (April 2008), together with that at the Milanese Stein Gallery (May 2008).