Geometry as a universally understandable language; the perceptual displacement generated by the illusion of movement and the three-dimensionality of form; with emphasis on the ideological design phase of the work rather than on the act of creating the piece itself. Penna makes use of industrial materials such as steel to create optical effects and refractions of light that accentuate the scientific - technological element of the artistic project. These aspects link Filippo Penna's research to the theoretical and practical assumptions of kinetic and programmed art, moving it towards the artist's own idea of himself as a “visual technician” with the observer as co-author of the work by virtue of his action/reaction to it. At the base of his work lies a rigorous knowledge of the perceptual dynamics generated by the combination of simple or complex abstract-geometric shapes on the plane, employing optical and light illusions that create perspectives of depth and movement, overcoming therefore, even if only deceptively, the constraint imposed by the two-dimensionality of the surface. Vortices, spirals, chequerboards, futuristic modular architecture: optical deceptions skilfully designed by the artist to alter the appearance of the work, so that it continuously evolves depending on different light conditions and the emotional response of the individual. In this way the meaning of each piece is woven together simultaneously by both the artist, the controller of the creative and aesthetic process, and the observer who reacts to it, in a subtly fascinating and engaging visual game.
[Daniela Pronestì]