Terra Rossa

In 2017, I rented a new studio: a greenhouse with an adjacent real tennis court, which unexpectedly became a source of inspiration for a series of paintings titled Square or Court—rigorously monochromatic compositions in variations of red. Gianni Clerici was the first to notice them and include them in the book Il Tennis nell’Arte, which he curated for Mondadori in 2018.

Over time, that series of paintings changed its title to Terra Rossa (Red Clay), referencing Красный квадрат (Piazza Rossa), internationally known as Red Square, one of Kazimir Malevich’s most famous works. The compositions of these paintings evoke fragments or corners of tennis courts: expansive red fields articulated by white lines that redefine their context.

Terra Rossa alludes to a red square but also serves as an invitation to reflect on the power of images in the contemporary era and to imagine new visions starting from this earthy tone. It transforms the playing field into an archetypal dimension, a pure exploration of the material that composes it.