“Benedetta Segala paints in a minimalistic or semi-abstract way, transforming real visual experiences into abstraction. While in France, she experimented reversing the process from abstraction into real matter in the form of three dimensional installations. She resumed painting again upon returning to her native Italy where she was also engaged in restoring classical frescoes, and fell in love with its bright and delicate palette.
Benedetta enjoys contemplation and is fascinated by the passage of time and existence, within which she discovers her own personal experiences and a place for her memories. That ‘space’ of her life within the broad spectrum of the universe translates into colours in her paintings. She explains how her paintings are a transformation of her real world visual experiences in the form of synthesis or dissipation of elements. How natural organic forms evolve and appear alive. Imperfect spaces inhabited by colours, geometry by intuition, contours becoming transparent or reflected in shadows – these are some of the key elements of her expressions.
Her current works are inspired by her new home in Malaysia, with its unique environment and culture. Yet for Benedetta, the natural elements in her paintings are evocations in an abstract context, as its final forms are not intentional. During these period, she found opposites that complement each other which became themes for her paintings, allowing the elements to flourish on her canvas as she paints.”
Riz Nordin
Shah Alam, March 2018
“For Benedetta, it’s almost never an impulsive casting of paint on canvas, rather a lengthy – initially contemplative then introspective – process, inspired by the light and often spread over time, continents even… And through this interval the thoughts conjured up in the meditative phase, and the feelings they have triggered, are transformed yet again by new realities and emotions which the painter experiences next. It is this latter metamorphosis, further reshaped through her subconscious, which ultimately begets the final artwork. It is only then that everything suddenly makes sense, that new elements unexpectedly make their appearance and take shape on canvas, finally revealing themselves. Hers is an intricate, beautiful journey of transformation on such diverse levels and layers, which ultimately dictates – at the very end and only then – the title of the final painting, which suddenly and unmistakably reveals itself to its maker.”
Eliana Salvi
Cultural Office
Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, February 2018