Mimmo Rotella

decollages by Mimmo Rotella (click on images)

Rotella's collage work and phonetic poems inspired by that of Kurt Schwitters sprouted up in Rome during the mid 50's independant of the Nouveaux Réalistes group from Paris which included Arman, Hains, Villeglé and Dufrêne which he later joined (1960) once they discovered each other. Abstract expressionist in composition and appearance, one is reminded in these particular works from the 1950's/60's of the dynamics and color harmonies in the paintings of Clifford Still. Rotella exhibited the 'torn poster' decollages for the first time in an exhibition entitled "Esposizione d'arte attuale" (1955). In 1960 he met De Kooning and Rothko in Rome.

In the 1970's Rotella created a number of works by working directly on advertising pages of magazines with using solvents, reducing these either to the state of the imprint (frottage) or simply destroying them (effaçage). 

Mr Rotello continues to work from his studio in Rome.