Executed in Venice in 1961, 'Ciclo 1961 B-2' is a prime example of Vedova’s Ciclo (Cycle's) series, which the artist developed from the 1950’s- 1980’s, and was included in a notable solo exhibition of his work at the Stedelijk van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Reflecting both the political and social struggles of the past and the recent political freedom in postwar Italy, Vedova’s revolutionary paintings are charged with raw movement and gesture. With this series, Vedova exhibits a break from the strictures of geometry and an initial venture into abstract expressionism by exploring the communicative possibilities of line, material, and color. Allowing the paint and his brush to direct the composition, Vedova adds a new found sense of vitality to his canvas while still maintaining the perception of customary formality.

Born in Venice, Italy, Emilio Vedova (1919-2006) emerged as a formative figure in post World War II Italian art. In his early works, Vedova examined architecture and geometry using form and color. Breaking from the restrictions of geometry and painting traditions, Vedova experimented with the canvas, becoming less rigid in his stylistic approach and compositional perspective. With an understanding of artistic traditions and an ambition for exploration, Vedova developed a modern style that made him one of the fundamental post-war Italian modern painters. As a self-taught artist, Vedova gained recognition as a member of the Milanese anti-Fascist artists’ association Corrente in 1942. In 1951, Vedova was awarded the prize for young painters at the first São Paulo Biennial and also held his first US solo show at the Catherine Viviano Gallery in New York. Over the span of his career, Vedova’s work expanded beyond painting to include collage and installation. In 1960, Vedova created moving light sets and costumes for Luigi Nono’s opera Intolleranza ’60 and also received the Grand Prize for painting at the Venice Biennale. Vedova passed away in 2006, but his work continues to be widely exhibited and has been the subject of recent solo exhibitions at Dep Art, Milan, Italy (2010); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo. Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (2010); Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, Germany (2008); and the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome, Italy (2007).

Selected Public Collections:

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY
Tate Britain, London, England
Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy
Museo d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Rovereto, Italy
Berardo Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil