“Metaphysical Spaces” at Blain|Southern in London is an exhibition of paintings and drawings by Italian avant-garde artist Carlo Carrà – one of Italy’s most famous 20th century painters.Born in Quargnento (Alessandria) in 1881, Carrà is best known as one of the founders of Futurism, and for his role in the development of Metaphysical painting. Following the end of the Futurist phase around the time of World War I, Carrà began painting in a more simplified, realist style, influenced by the Italian Renaissance painters Uccello and Giotto. “Simplicity in tonal and linear relations – that is all that really concerns me now,” Carlo Carrà wrote in a letter to Ardengo Soffici in 1916.A turning point in Carrà’s practice came in 1917 when he met Giorgio de Chirico in Ferrara, and together they developed what they called “Metaphysical painting.” The Metaphysical style is characterized by dream-like scenes, surprising juxtapositions, and in the case of Carrà, a stillness and harmony found in a single perspective. According to the curatorial statement, “the artists strived to connect with the soul by focusing on quotidian objects and the built environment.” Curated by Ester Coen, an expert in Futurism, Metaphysical art, and Italian and international avant-gardes, “Metaphysical Spaces” spotlights Carrà’s artistic achievements and intellectual journey. At the center of the exhibition is an important selection of his paintings, including a key group of works that have not been shown together in more than 50 years.Highlights include “Mio Figlio,” 1916 and “Penelope,” 1917, as well as the artist’s seminal painting “Il Pino Sul Mare,” 1921, which is being shown in the UK for the first time.“Carlo Carrà: Metaphysical Spaces” runs through August 20 at Blain|Southern in London.
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