Lucio Fontana : Reaching Out into Space

Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) is best known for his invention in the late 1940s of the concept of Spatialism.

This involved the use of new media and methods for projecting images, such as neon and TV, and the breaking-open, by slashing or puncturing, of painted and sculpted surfaces, as a means of bringing "real" as opposed to "illusory" space into artwork.

His Spatialist theories led in turn to his development of Environmental art, in which the artist controls the viewing enivironment.

In this video, directed by Pierre Neel, critics, friends and other artists associated with the Spatialist movement offer a wide-ranging assessment of Fontana's career and achievements.