Simbolismo meccanico

79  Simbolismo meccanico, oil on canvas, cm 90 x 62

The work conveys an “industrial” and oppressive atmosphere, an almost suffocating environment, typical of a factory or a mechanized metropolis. The painting unfolds vertically, a choice that accentuates the sense of elevation and, at the same time, the grandeur of the structures depicted. The background is dominated by dark tones, tinged with shades of yellow ochre, a recurring color in Catarsini’s palette, which here evokes the idea of ​​industrial, almost oily environments. The gloom of the painting is so intense that it seems to “engulf” the brushstrokes of red, blue, gray, and white struggling to emerge from the surface. The scene is populated by a series of shapes reminiscent of an urban and industrial landscape: silhouettes reminiscent of buildings, walls, and tall chimneys can be discerned. Some rectangles appear as large containers from which thick, black lines emerge, pointing straight upward, emphasizing the vertical thrust of the entire composition.At the center are two gear wheels, arranged diagonally: one at the bottom left and the other at the top right.

They are connected by a transmission belt that breaks up the static nature of the surrounding architecture. This element suggests that the entire complex is in operation, enriched by other dark circles scattered haphazardly throughout the space, like small satellite gears.

Meaning of the work: The painting conveys a sense of power and, at the same time, disquiet. The industrial forms are not depicted with technical precision, but through an effective chromatic “stain” that evokes the dirt, noise, and incessant movement of a mechanized world that dominates everything else.