Sam Vanni

Sam Vanni (1908 - 1992)

“My art is not representational, it’s expressive, allowing everyone the freedom to interpret it in their own way”, was Vanni’s answer to the question as to what his paintings depicted. Vanni’s art is influenced by constructivism as well as by informalism: two partially opposed movements within abstract art. In its purest form, constructivism is completely void of symbolic references to reality. One of the pioneers of constructivism, Theo van Doesburg, held that only lines, surface and colour are real and that a picture must be constructed based on these parameters. Similarly, non-figurative informalism allows room for the artist’s emotions and emphasizes the importance of spontaneity.

Vanni’s view of art was similar to that held by Kandinsky. According to Kandinsky, a painting must be born out of the interaction between logical reasoning, awareness, intent and determination. Music was an infinite source of inspiration for both Vanni and Kandinsky and Sam Vanni believed that the lines, the surface and the colours of a painting express emotions the same way that music does.

A variation of a painting with the same name executed in the same year, which forms part of Ateneum collection. Litterature: Tuula Karjalainen: Uuden kuvan rakentajat, konkretismin läpimurto Suomessa. Picture on pages 120-121.