C’è una costante nel lavoro di Raffaele Cioffi che, oltre ad un’insistita ed acclarata volontà di interpretare le possibilità dialettiche ed espressive del colore, rimanendo fedele alla tradizione delle ricerche analitico-astratte incentrate sul puro valore della Pittura, lascia trapelare anche una sensibilità orientata da un preciso senso del ritmo e dell’armonia.
Long before being an artistic practice, Raffaele Cioffi deeply conceived and lived painting like a decisive event of his own life. I’ve been a precocious witness of his passion as he was one of my students in the course of the History of Contemporary Art at Brera. I can perfectly remember his predilection for Rothko and Newman, whose art would leave an evident trace in his younger works. Almost all his paintings till the beginning of 2000 are based on the conviction of going ahead not only with painting but also with its reasons, by showing somehow its sense, its reflections and its reprocessing.
Artists, as they trust completely the inspiration of their artistic vocation, should never disregard nor betray the sense of their actions and their research and, by showing an affection and a fidelity to their own poetry and their own language – even to the unpredictable variations and tendencies that may come out – they need to connect themselves to their individual thinking and painting. Through the assiduous practice, that goes along with the urgency of communication of their soul, the singular individualism of Art shows a particular feature.
Ten years ago I wrote a song, as a suite, entitled “Le vie dei colori” (Colours’ roads). The history of a lonesome journey of a man (and of every man) searching for himself, through truth and beauty. I found those colours’ roads in Raffaele’s works. Roads, tracks, meadows, rivers, courses, railways, canals, tracings, paths, lanes which show and paint the eyes’ path and guide the heart’s trip.
“…Continuum…”, like a development with no interruptions, where space and time get combined. “…Continuum…”, like a slow movement, made of barely visible metamorphosis of light and colour.” “…Continuum…”, like something intangible, between the appearance to the presence and the persistence of a hidden and nearly secret life. “…Continuum…”, like the awareness of the “continuity” of a tradition, the tradition of painting which doesn’t necessarily have to be new or amazing.
1. Le porte del silenzio, la coscienza del colore (1989-1993)
Come in uno slancio verso uno spazio sconfinato la ricerca di Raffaele Cioffi offre i primi segnali di luce alla fine degli anni Ottanta, con un gruppo di tele che si staccano dalle forme figurative che costituiscono l’approccio iniziale della sua pittura. Come avviene in questi casi, il periodo di formazione di un giovane pittore è sempre un laboratorio istintivo di forme che si accavallano, di ipotesi che si rincorrono, di progetti che si sviluppano prima di giungere ad una convincente scelta di campo.