ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Fausto Melotti's Leap into Void: Bridging Abstraction and Linear Sculpture

artist · 2026-04-23

Fausto Melotti (1901-1986) created a pivotal body of work that bridges 1930s abstraction, influenced by Mondrian and De Stijl, with a linear sculpture style now flourishing in Italy. His practice reconciled plaster modeling, metal rigidity, and fabric fragility, drawing from Mediterranean culture, musical harmony, color, and drawing.

Key facts

  • Fausto Melotti was born in 1901 and died in 1986.
  • His work is a hinge between 1930s abstraction and contemporary linear sculpture in Italy.
  • He was influenced by Mondrian and De Stijl.
  • He used plaster, metal, and fabric in his sculptures.
  • His sources include Mediterranean culture, musical harmony, color, and drawing.
  • The article was published in artpress in July 1991.

Entities

Artists

  • Fausto Melotti
  • Piet Mondrian

Institutions

  • De Stijl
  • artpress

Locations

  • Italy

Sources