The Geometry of Perspective

Born in 1952 in Locarno, Switzerland, Felice Varini has spent decades reshaping the way we perceive the built environment. Based in Paris, his practice operates at the intersection of mathematics and urban architecture. He does not merely paint surfaces; he utilizes projector-stencil techniques to impose geometric order upon the chaos of city streets, walls, and even ceilings. His work relies on a singular, precise vantage point. From this specific spot, a fragmented collection of lines or shapes—circles, squares, or triangles—assembles into a coherent whole. Move from that point, and the image dissolves into disconnected fragments scattered across buildings or pavement.

This method transforms architecture into a canvas that is never static. The artist views the space not as a backdrop, but as an active participant in the creation of the work. By choosing specific architectural data, he defines a viewpoint that might be located at eye level in a passageway or atop a landmark. His concern lies with what occurs outside this primary view, exploring how a shape exists both as a complete entity and as a series of broken parts. It is an exercise in optical tension.

Urban Interventions

The scale of his projects often matches the magnitude of the structures they inhabit. In 2018, his project Concentric, eccentric brought large yellow concentric circles to the fortifications of Carcassonne, France. These thin, painted aluminium sheets were spread across towers and curtain walls, creating a sense of movement through time and space. The installation was visible only from a specific pedestrian route near the Porte d'Aude. Similarly, his 2011 work Disc utilized a red square hollowed out on a ceiling within the Lyon Confluence exhibition space, demonstrating how even enclosed, indoor environments can be reconfigured through perspective.

His reach has extended to diverse landscapes and historical sites across the globe:

• The Suite de triangles Saint-Nazaire 2007, a massive installation spanning two kilometers on a roof terrace in France.
• The À Ciel Ouvert installation atop Le Corbusier’s La Cité Radieuse in Marseille.
• Urban space art installations in Shanghai, China, during the 2019 season.
• Works integrated into the architecture of the Japan Alps Art Festival in Omachi, Japan.

A Career of Spatial Inquiry

The trajectory of Varini's career is marked by a consistent investigation into the limits of vision. His recognition includes a nomination for the 2000/2001 Marcel Duchamp Prize, reflecting the impact of his precise, mathematical approach to painting. Whether working with sheet metal, such as in Composition en tôle laquée jaune, or large-scale urban interventions, the fundamental logic remains unchanged. He treats the city as a series of volumes and materials to be studied and subtly altered.

Through his installations, the distinction between the painting and the architecture begins to blur. The work is not an addition to the space but a reconfiguration of it. As viewers move through his environments, they experience the collapse and reconstruction of form, making the act of seeing a physical, mobile experience. His legacy is found in these fleeting moments of alignment, where geometry and stone briefly become one.