Well known for his abstract tonal paintings which have over several decades explored the interplay of forms interacting with each other, Caio Fonseca's work is in part influenced by his training and interest in classical musical composition. In Fifth Street C11.70, 2011 Fonseca has begun to distill his vision and approach to painting, which results in a boldly minimalist painting with shades of grayish blacks punctuated against a white background. Fonseca aspires toward abstraction in the purest sense, or, as he explains, that which can be communicated in paint alone as a medium. There are musical and mathematical allusions in his works, and a reference to his studio on Fifth Street in the title. His works are avidly collected because they just look great on the walls. At the young age of 42 in 2001 Fonseca joined an elite club of living artists whose works have been acquired by major contemporary museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. It is interesting to note that few of Fonseca's pictures turn up in the auctions rooms or in the secondary market, because his collectors simply do not want to part with them.
Tenth Street #72 is an early work painted when Fonseca was about 26. As with many early works by artists, incredible enthusiasm and freshness of ambition may feel present and this painting has that with its vivid use of red and well-placed forms that were still new to his vocabulary. The notes, keys, piano forms, musical score lines as well as shapes that emerge from underneath, are placed in pleasingly surprising manner. When speaking about his own work, Caio Fonseca talks about building his own vocabulary to create a sense of time. In Tenth Street #72, the movement from left to right, like a musical score, is noticeable. There is a suggestion of depth to this work as the off-white underpainting is revealed in various shapes. The red and white paint push against each other generating motion, while the hints of black and brown pull the viewer into the work to explore further. Fonseca finishes his paintings by using various tools such as a pizza cutter to create subtle abrasions and grooves and then applies, and subsequently rubs away, a layer of wax.
Though he is American, Fonseca’s intonation is vaguely European. Fonseca studied painting in Spain, Italy, and France for 15 years before returning to New York in 1993. Tenth Street #72 was created in 1995, during a very heady time for the artist. Prior to his very first show in 1993, which resulted in his first sale to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fonseca notes he spent 14 years painting because he felt he was not ready. Also, during this time, near his East Village studio, artists and squatters were clashing with the police. For years, buildings that had been vacant were taken over by city residents in need of housing. This mixture of classical European training and the impassioned New York environment gave birth to artwork that gained praise at the time and still does.
Fonseca creates a distinct style from a specific technique that unites all his work. To create the appearance of floating forms, he first lays down bands of color and then paints an off-white covering on top. The blocks of color that remain from the uncovered areas weave across the canvas in a mesmerizing way. These colorful, abstract shapes absorb the viewer as he or she reflects on the meaning behind the flowing forms.
“In order to make a form, I have to paint around it, leaving behind the form – it is literally backwards. In order to add you need to subtract.” – Caio Fonseca