With The idea of colour, ABC-ARTE continues its exhibition project dedicated to Jorrit Tornquist, curated by Flaminio Gualdoni and developed in collaboration with Archivio Jorrit Tornquist. Following Colour is Space in Itself, presented at the gallery’s historic headquarters in Genoa, the Milan exhibition expands and deepens the reading of one of the most rigorous and original investigations into colour to emerge in Europe in the second half of the twentieth century.
Rather than a continuation of the Genoa exhibition, the exhibition represents an autonomous yet complementary chapter, bringing together historical works from the 1960s and 1970s alongside more recent works. Together, they reveal the extraordinary coherence of a practice developed over more than six decades and grounded in a radical conviction: colour is not an attribute of form, but the very substance of vision.
A key figure in the dialogue between art, architecture, and colour theory, Tornquist developed a unique practice within the European art landscape, intertwining artistic practice, scientific research, and environmental design. His work transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries and anticipates themes that are now central to contemporary discourse, from the relationship between art and science to the perception of space.
At the heart of the exhibition is an important sculptural installation XY diagonal from 2013 (from a 1975 project), in which colour definitively transcends the boundaries of the pictorial surface to become actual space. The work directly engages the visitor, transforming perception into experience and demonstrating how colour can create relationships, alter environments, and redefine our way of inhabiting space.
«Colour is space in itself», Tornquist wrote in 1974.
This statement encapsulates the theoretical core of his research. Colour is not an expressive tool, but a physical and perceptual phenomenon capable of redefining the relationship between the viewer, space, and the environment. As Flaminio Gualdoni observes, «for Tornquist, colour is the problematic substance not only of our seeing, but also of seeing itself». His works do not simply ask to be observed: they invite the viewer to experience seeing as an active process, at the intersection of art, science, and perception.
Coinciding with the Milan exhibition, ABC-ARTE will present the artist’s work at Untitled Art Houston, marking Tornquist’s American debut with the gallery.
The two exhibitions form a single curatorial project aimed at conveying the complexity of Tornquist’s practice and contributing to a critical reassessment of a key figure in European colour research, highlighting the striking relevance of his work to contemporary discussions around perception, architecture, space, and the relationship between art and science.
At the conclusion of the project, ABC-ARTE will publish a monographic catalogue produced in collaboration with the Archivio Jorrit Tornquist. The publication will bring together the works presented in the Genoa and Milan exhibitions, alongside a selection of historical works, critical essays, and archival materials, offering a comprehensive overview of the artist’s practice.
The exhibition will be on view from 16 September to 31 October 2026 at ABC-ARTE ONE OF, Via Santa Croce 21, Milan. The opening will take place on Tuesday, 16 September from 6:30 pm.
