Antonio Calderara (1903 -1978)
Antonio Calderara was one of the leading figures of Italian Post-War abstract art. He was initially discovered by painters, including Almir Mavignier, Jesús-Raphael Soto, François Morellet and Reimer Jochims. They admired his work and the man himself once they had meet him and Calderara extanded his friendship to them in return.
As an active member of the Minimalist movement, he conducted formal research similar to that of Agnes Martin and Josef Albers, whose paintings are included in his personal collection of around 270 works. He also supported young conceptual artists such as Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni.
Calderara dedicated his life to the representation of space, the translation of light and the expression of silence. He created works on an intimate scale that were characterised by simple forms, the use of right angles, spaces without depth and flat blocks of colour; these rigorous compositions were based on measurement and the depiction of bright, enveloping light.
