Catrame II (Tar II)
A former army doctor, Burri built paintings from non-pictorial stuff—tar, burlap, burned plastic, stitched sacks. In Catrame II, glossy bitumen and matte fabric collide as seams, rips, and sutures. The work is abstract, but it feels bodily and architectural at once: surface as skin, patch as wall. Italian Art Informel here rejects illusion for matter itself, asking viewers to read history—and healing—in the textures of industry and repair.
Why This Artwork Is Important
- Seminal Art Informel: painting made from matter (tar, burlap), not depiction.
- Burri’s medical eye—tears, sutures, scars—redefines the canvas as wounded skin.
What to Look For
- Contrast of glossy tar versus absorbent cloth.
- Stitched or stapled seams acting like surgical sutures.
- Burns, abrasions, and cracks that ‘draw’ without paint.
Fun Fact
Burri often labeled series by the material itself—‘Catrami’ for tar, ‘Sacchi’ for sacks, ‘Combustioni’ for burns.
Last Minute Offers
Find the cheapest last-minute offers to visit Modern Art Collection and see Catrame II (Tar II) with your own eyes!
| Date | Tickets | Tours |
|---|---|---|
| Buy for €39 | Buy for €70 | |
| Buy for €34 | Buy for €65 | |
| Buy for €56 | Buy for €75 | |
| Buy for €72 | Buy for €89 | |
| Buy for €65 | Buy for €77 | |
| Buy for €65 | Buy for €77 |
