A seminal work from the Sacchi series, featuring torn burlap and bold red paint, representing the post-war Italian Art Informel movement.

Alberto Burri, a physician by training, began his artistic career while a prisoner of war in Texas during the Second World War. His practice rejected the traditional constraints of painting, opting instead for the use of discarded, humble materials. Sacking and Red is a representative example of his Sacchi series, which utilised torn, weathered burlap sacks as the primary medium. The composition relies on the tension between the coarse, organic texture of the burlap and the flat, synthetic application of red paint. Burri treated the fabric as a sculptural element, stitching, tearing, and layering the material to create a physical topography on the surface. The dark, frayed edges of the sacking contrast with the expansive, saturated red background, which acts as a void or a field of colour. By incorporating industrial waste and remnants of everyday life, Burri moved away from the representational traditions of the early twentieth century. This work reflects the post-war European search for a new visual language, one that could address the trauma and material scarcity of the period. The burlap, often stained or patched, carries a history of use that remains visible in the final composition. Burri does not attempt to hide the decay of the material; he elevates it, forcing the viewer to confront the physical reality of the object. The juxtaposition of the rough, fibrous weave against the smooth, painted surface creates a dialogue between the tactile and the visual. It is an exploration of material integrity, where the artist acts as a mediator between the discarded object and the gallery space. The work remains a stark, uncompromising study in texture and colour, stripped of narrative or figurative intent.