When one thinks of Avant-Garde artists who were influential in the 20th century, the name Enrico Castellani naturally comes to mind. Dubbed the “father of minimalism” by many, Castellani’s paintings blend architecture designs and unusual spatial effects to create extravagant illusions using only seemingly simple designs. In 1959 he collaborated with other artists of the “Zero” group to open Galleria Azimut in Milan, and later publish the renowned art magazine Azimuth. Azimuth is an apt word to describe Castellani’s style as it pertains to the direction of an object as seen by the observer. In his later work during the 1970s and 80s Castellani who trained as a sculptor, often used aluminum as a base for his canvases after denting and puncturing them with nail guns, banging with hammers, and bending the canvas with heat to create the desired effect of light and movement. Monochromatic paintings without the use of bold colors to distract became a new wave art fashion. Enrico Castellani died in 2017, however, his work continues to fascinate and inspire.   Read Less