Jonathan Binet. Cabriole

Featuring pieces specially conceived for the Galleria Mazzoli exhibition, Jonathan Binet unveils a comprehensive display of his work since his last solo show at the gallery in 2017.

Titled "Cabriole", the project shows Binet's consolidated distinctive signature, a signature that thrives on, rather than resists, his formal nonchalance. The level of experimentation is evident across his extensive body of work, marked by a quite vast language constituted by re-assembled and unassembled canvases, torn, cut, metal frames, sprayed, revealed or removed (non)colors thanks to the intervention of the grinder, directly on the surface of the canvas.

"Cabriole", holds two distinct interpretations and touches upon two exemplary aspects in the artist's trajectory. The first meaning aligns with the domain of academic dance, signifying a movement traditionally executed by men. In this context, the dancer brings the calves of the legs together in the air with a scissor-like motion resembling the compositions exhibited in Modena, particularly in their formal organization and interrelationships. The interplay of sensual, rounded, delicate compositions with structural, weighty, masculine elements and tools echoes the inherent tension found in ballet, where desire and the desired object endlessly seek a mutual interpenetration.

The second interpretation, taking the term figuratively as a flip, signifies a clever strategy to navigate away from a complex situation. In this context, Binet has adeptly avoided the conventional and revered tradition of painting, resisting confrontation with the charged practice. For over a decade, he has engaged in shaping, structuring, and manipulating materials, endeavoring to create a surface that ultimately remains untouched by traditionally applied paint. He organizes compartments reminiscent of the millennia-old "cloisonné" technique, with his palette composed of the materials constituting the very structure of painting itself.

The intentional postponement of the process of painting has led the artist to continuously work and rework ostensibly finished pieces, sparking an ongoing metamorphosis. Each artwork retains its unique identity, yet collectively, they form a unified, intricately entwined, three-dimensional, and temporally nuanced large-scale drawing. Some artworks may evolve, creating different compositions; pieces returning from exhibitions might transform into distinct creations. This dynamic is reflected in the attribution of specific time periods, marked as span of years, to certain works.... read the rest of the article»