Matter, Gesture and Light | The Language of Contemporary Bas-Relief | Michela Fabeni Art | Smussato | Artworks
Matter becomes language through gesture, relief and light.
Gesture as the Origin of Form
In Michela Fabeni’s artistic research, the canvas surface is not simply a support, but a space to be explored and transformed.
The manual gesture acts directly upon matter. Brushes, palette knives and organic materials progressively create reliefs, layers and variations of surface. The artwork develops through a process in which technique, intuition and control coexist.
The hands therefore become an integral part of the artistic language. Each movement leaves a trace, each irregularity preserves the memory of the gesture, while light moves across the relief and continuously changes the perception of the work.
Beyond the Surface
Contemporary bas-relief allows painting to move beyond two-dimensionality without completely abandoning it. The surface becomes volume, volume generates shadow, and shadow creates depth.
It is within this relationship between matter and light that a research based on transformation takes shape. Elements are not simply applied: they are layered, shaped, softened and recomposed until a new balance emerges.
The concept of Smussato also originates from this practice: not erasing edges, but transforming them. Matter preserves what has been, while gesture introduces a new possibility.
A Matter That Continues to Speak
To observe an artwork therefore means entering into a relationship with a surface that is never entirely still. It changes with light, with viewing distance and with the movement of the observer.
Matter, light and relief become elements of a single vocabulary: a contemporary language in which manual practice meets formal research.
Michela Fabeni
Artist of the Third Millennium
Discover Michela Fabeni’s artistic research and works on the official website. www.michelafabeniart.com
For information about the artworks, contact the artist by email. michelafabeni@libero.it
Follow Michela Fabeni on social media for new works, projects and events. @michelafabeniart
Explore the Artist Journal to discover more about matter, light and contemporary relief.
