Taidemaalariliitto

White Noise

by Mattia Lapperier

A relentless noise that prevents other sounds from invading our auditory perception; a noise made of the entire spectrum of sound frequencies, in an harmonic way, without any of them being distinguishable from the others; this is what we normally call white noise, since white is the combination of the entire light spectrum that contains all the colours. It is something akin to an out of tune analog television, on whose screen appears the so-called snow effect which indicates the lack of reception of channels and produces a constant rustle with a relaxing effect. It is starting from this void that, if observed long enough, activates our senses to induce the re-enactment of images from the unconscious. These are unclearly defined images; they are floating, with indeterminate boundaries, not caged inside the prison of the form but fleeting like a sudden memory, fleeting like an unexpected emotion.

Rose-Mari Torpo’s painting gives back to the observer a very similar feeling as the aforementioned concept. It gives relevance to images that emerge from inwardness. Originating from a free and gestural approach, her abstract compositions investigate movement, rhythm, layering and spaces created by the colour. Although it is the result of an assiduous experimentation with different colours and materials, her fresh work offers itself with great immediacy. Torpo creates fluid compositions giving the impression of continuous movement, which in turn is a metaphor that stands for incessant research. The artist experiments with different media, ranging from canvas, paper, polyester to readymade found materials and paints them with spray paints, acrylic colours or inks.

For the latest cycle of artwork presented in this exhibition, she worked with iridescent materials capable of reflecting light. In this way the appearance of the work itself changes with the changing of the observer’s point of view. These peculiar materials add further dynamism to a composition already characterised by delicate iridescent effects. Sometimes similar to atmospheric dust, in other cases fluid, in others even more solid and congealed, Torpo’s painting dwells on basic issues such as the combination of colour, line and form. Its structural indeterminacy corresponds to an emotional work that remains consciously suspended and changeable, beyond the figuration.

It almost seems that Rose-Mari Torpo infuses an internal movement into her painting; something passing from expansion to contraction, from fullness to emptiness, as though her own work breathed somehow. Her multi-sensory approach, capable of evoking multiple sensations, has been possible thanks to the mixture of different materials. In this way, from the white noise, a multitude of mental images emerge. Starting from a lightning intuition, these images are condensed into a kaleidoscope of palpitating colour.