Philippe Labaune Gallery in collaboration with Galerie Martel is pleased to present Momentum, a solo exhibition by Italian artist Lorenzo Mattotti. Known for his expressive line and color, Mattotti investigates movement in its many forms, the intimacy of bodies in motion, the continuous flow of nature, and the interaction between humans and machines.

Human movement in Mattotti’s work is expressed in short, intense cycles. Figures walking, running, dancing, or connecting physically convey momentum not just through action but through the emotional resonance of their gestures. In Corsa, two runners move across rolling hills beneath a cloudy sky, their motion suggesting both effort and ease, a rhythm that feels immediate and continuous. The viewer senses the intimacy of bodies moving through space, the private focus of each figure, the subtle exchange of energy between them, and the freedom in their stride. Momentum here is more than physical; it is emotional, a pulse that the viewer can feel, connecting them to the fleeting yet expansive experience of bodies in motion.

In Momentum, even still figures are carried by movement. In Paesaggi in una stanza and Guardando il bosco, Mattotti’s use of broad ink washes creates deep, saturated blues and greens that make the landscapes come to life. Leaves shift, water flows, and air drifts through the scenes, suggesting a continuous motion. These transparent layers of ink provide a luminous, fluid quality, reflecting nature’s quiet persistence and establishing a momentum that is both calm and urgent.

Mattotti’s approach to capturing movement is grounded in a deliberate clarity of form. “I came to realize that in order to achieve the idea of movement in a still image, you had to succeed in removing all that is superfluous and keep only the extreme tension of line and form. Through the composition, the interweaving of shapes and colors, we then manage to create a particularly strong tension in the drawing,” the Italian artist explained. By distilling each scene to its essential lines, forms, and colors, Mattotti generates a visible and emotional sense of momentum. Whether in landscapes, figures, or machines, this tension structures the energy of the work, allowing the viewer to perceive motion even in static moments and linking physical movement to emotional resonance.

In the pursuit of capturing movement, Mattotti explores the interaction between humans and machines. In works like On the road and Pirelli ciclista, the human body generates momentum that continues into mechanical systems: cars, boats, or bicycles. Swirling, vibrant pencil lines convey forward energy, while the carefully layered strokes give the figures solidity and weight. Here, momentum exists simultaneously in the human and the mechanical, emphasizing how energy is created, shared, and extended. The contrast between fluid pastel backgrounds and structured pencil details reinforces the juxtaposition of expansive flow and concentrated bursts of force.

Through these three currents, bodies, nature, and machines, the artist captures dualities: the continuous and the fleeting, calm and urgent, organic and constructed, individual and collective. Momentum in his work is tangible, from the deliberate stride of a runner to the sway of leaves and the energy transmitted from the human to the mechanical. Each form of movement interacts with the others, creating a subtle harmony and a visible rhythm throughout the exhibition.