Flows, gravity and chaos: an artistic investigation into atmospheric phenomena, matter and cosmology

Martino Allegretti

This research explores the dialogue between the individual and natural phenomena through an artistic process that focuses on flow as a dynamic and generative element. The interaction between water, pigment and support-usually 50% or 100% cotton fibre paper-is configured as a field of visual investigation in which chance and physical forces play a decisive role. The work begins with the use of watercolour, the movement of which is influenced by both natural and industrial elements, such as stones or artificial structures, which alter the liquid's path and colour distribution. A fundamental aspect of the research is the investigation of the relationship between the flow of water and atmospheric events. The direct intervention of rain, wind and humidity introduces unpredictable variables that transform the painting process into an open and constantly evolving experience. The idea of flow is thus configured as an essential artistic element, capable of reflecting the changing nature of matter and time. From these experiments, the research extends to the study of gravity and its implications in the movement of pigment, drawing parallels with cosmological dynamics such as black holes and white holes. The action of the gravitational field and the tension between attraction and expulsion become visual metaphors that find expression in the creative process. In order to structure and document this investigation, notebooks, notes and parallel experiments are used, which are fundamental tools for outlining a method capable of reconciling individual technique with the randomness of external factors. The aim is to find a balance between control and unpredictability, developing a visual language that restores the interaction between artistic gesture and natural forces. In parallel, the project involves experimenting with materials other than paper, such as textiles, membranes and other porous or water-repellent surfaces. The introduction of these elements broadens the possibilities of interaction between water, pigment and support, generating new visual and tactile effects that amplify the dialogue between matter and physical phenomena. Set in an international context of artistic and scientific exploration, this research proposes an interdisciplinary reflection on the relationship between art, nature and physics, redefining the role of the artist as interpreter of the forces that govern our universe.

Exhibition

HANGED SHEET

"All possible worlds"

the water section

on paper

IRREGULAR BAMBOO BASE

insect screen

poured water

installation?

HANGED

BAMBOO STRUCTURE BELOW

STRUCTURE / PEDESTAL

chair

cross-shaped section

FROM AN INSTALLATION / CONSERVATION POINT OF VIEW

FROM GABRI

Step 1

We used two easels with clothes pegs securing the sheet and tied and stretched by wires, we put/placed the shorter edges of the 70x100 cm sheet

- we added clothes pegs to prevent the water we had put in from leaking out

- an intertwined mechanism

Step 2

After a few falls of the whole system (cylindrical section of water when the structure is stable)

- we remove the trestles and replace them with chairs, which we place at the corners of the sheet, which is secured to the chairs with metal clips

- we have slightly rounder stone - the sheet seems more elastic

We leave it like this for now, add some watercolour pigment and see how it dries

measure length, determine swing

make hole with needle

- texture of flowing water

length - from bar where wisteria climbs to near the ground

On gravity, black holes and white holes 9/3/25

The starting point was what happens on sheets of paper used to make watercolour works.

- Weathering influences the watercolour pigment that is distributed by the person, stones are placed or thrown on the sheet randomly and, due to their weight, influence the flow of the water input (as seen above).

NOW

- Pag. 76 of the book “Buchi Bianchi” – Carlo Rovelli (chart)

- Stones determine the dynamics of water and its flow

Imagine a table with only the edge and nothing inside, an empty table.

- The sheet (50% cotton, 300 grammage, 70x100 cm) - placed over

- Aimed at simulating a gravity field/black hole

A GRAVITATIONAL CONTEXT

Step 3

I left it there, it rained a lot, it fell down.

I put it back, apparently now, in spite of the rain, it has such a slant that the chairs are more stable

ALL DRIED, PAPER REMAINED RIGID AND IN THE SHAPE GIVEN BY GRAVITY

How to restore the rigid shape of the paper given by gravity?