Simbolismo meccanico

82. Simbolismo meccanico, 1982, oil on hardboard, cm 50 x 70

This horizontal work conveys the elderly Maestro’s poetic side: the transition from the “darkness” of his previous works to the “luminosity” of this one conveys his vitality. Painted by Catarsini at the age of 83, it represents a sort of aesthetic “reconciliation”: after decades of denouncing the risks of technology, the artist returns to celebrate its visual allure, almost with the wonder of someone who witnessed the birth of modern progress. Unlike the oily, dark atmospheres of other compositions, here a light background dominates, conveying a sense of order and harmony. The scene is held between two vertical brown rectangles. These elements act as pillars and are connected by a network of thin lines, similar to the nervous circuits of a machine. In the center, in the foreground, the lines converge into two fantastical, articulated forms that almost seem to “bloom” from the structure.On the left side, we encounter two gear wheels. Their distinctive feature is their filling with white curved lines that make them light, almost ethereal, as if they were spinning wildly. The palette is warm and vibrant. A deep orange dominates, gently fading into brown and ochre, punctuated by splashes of white that illuminate the entire composition. There is no trace of a human figure: Catarsini seems to suggest that technology, viewed as pure abstraction and ingenuity, possesses its own intrinsic and harmonious beauty.

Meaning of the work: It is the testament of a man born in the 19th century who never ceases to be fascinated by the future. Here, the mechanical forms do not “engulf” the space, but rather elegantly furnish it, transforming the factory into a garden of colorful gears.