SOUTH BEACH MIAMI
DECEMBER 3 T0 8, 2024
ANTONIETTA GRASSI
VICKIE VAINIONPÄÄ
Antonietta Grassi and Vickie Vainionpää:
A Dialogue on Order and Chaos Through
Abstraction
The works of Antonietta Grassi and Vickie Vainionpää probe the complexities of order and chaos through the lineage of abstraction. The two artists share many common concerns in their work, including the interpretation of data, the power of line and form, and the tension between order and non-order. Their individual gestures are both rigourous in their mathematical complexity, and fluid in their contemplative sense of movement. Employing a range of digital and mechanical technologies, both artists’ works ultimately emphasize the enduring importance of the handmade. Grassi and Vainionpää also share a deep connection to Eastern philosophies, particularly Buddhism, meditation and daily practice, with emphasis on the interconnection between all things and the underlying structure of the universe.
Antonietta Grassi’s work speaks to multiple histories, textiles, the pioneering role of women in technology, labour, the lineage of abstraction and the painting processes as a daily meditative practice. Through meticulous layering, chromatic nuances and visual interplays , her work reflects a profound quest for harmony amidst chaos. Her paintings, which resemble weavings, are palimpsests of hand painted lines and shapes, reflecting a process where intuitive gestures and methodical precision coexist. She delves into personal and emotional landscapes, echoing buddhist notions of impermanence. Through the intricate weaving of modular elements and intersecting lines, she creates a visual tapestry that transcends representation, offering viewers a glimpse into the artist's contemplative engagement with the world.
Vickie Vainionpää uses code as a medium to create generative oil paintings that examine the infinite relationship between diameter, curve, and entanglement. Within these optical tubular works, generative splines shift from rigid reflective surfaces to soft plush textures. Their digital pathways fold and twist to create biomorphic forms simultaneously non-representational and yet familiar. In Vainionpää’s world, the structure of the universe is "utterly wiggly," embracing the fluidity of form to express the spiritual and emotional essence of the world. Like Grassi, she finds solace in the meditative states achieved while painting, a process that connects her deeply to Eastern themes of interconnection, nature, and the underlying network of all things.
Through their respective works, Grassi and Vainionpää offer viewers an invitation to contemplate the human experience in relation to the broader universe. Questions of control, consciousness, and infinitude echo across their surfaces. Their works serve as a testament to the enduring quest for meaning and understanding through abstraction, and evoke a shared sense of wonder and introspection, both within and beyond the plane of the canvas.
Founded in 2012, Untitled Art is a leading contemporary art fair taking place annually on the sands of Miami Beach. Guided by a mission to support the wider art ecosystem, Untitled Art offers an inclusive platform for discovering contemporary art that prioritizes collaboration within each aspect of the fair.
Each year, new and long-standing exhibitors are selected by Untitled Art’s evolving curatorial team for their artistic integrity and international reach, with several galleries based outside of mainstream art hubs. Emerging artists, young galleries, and non-profit organizations are supported through its ‘Nest’ sector, an initiative offering subsidized booths developed in response to traditional entry barriers posed by art fair participation. The first to launch an online art fair, Untitled Art continually invests in new technologies to make contemporary art collecting more accessible to new audiences, and it proactively advances responsible culture by using its platform to amplify diverse voices.
Through critical and educational programming, from a robust on-site podcast series focusing on relevant industry topics and artist talks to events and community activations outside of the fair
itself, Untitled Art attracts contemporary art collectors, art professionals, curators, art historians, and critics, among other enthusiasts. It also celebrates the context in which the fair is held by promoting leading galleries from Miami and engaging with local institutions. To reduce its environmental impact, Untitled Art has joined the Gallery Climate Collation and works closely with the City of Miami Beach to ensure zero environmental impact. Untitled Edit, commissioned essays intended to spark debate and dialogue, also continues to advance the essential work of art criticism.
Untitled Art 2024 will take place during Miami Art Week from Wednesday December 4 through Sunday December 8, with a VIP and Press Preview on Tuesday December 7. The fair coincides with Art Basel Miami Beach, held from December 6 through December 8. Untitled Art Miami Beach is presented with the support of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.