The Open Door

The surrealistic work Antonio Berni produced between 1931 and 1932 account for the influence by Giorgio de Chirico ’s metaphysical art. In Berni’s paintings and collages there is a hint of Italian piazzas—with their arcades and forced perspectives—, of solitary statues, mannequins, lengthy shadows and twilight skies, and the factories, chimneys, and modern trains coexisting with spectrums from the past. Berni’s interest in late re-elaborations by the Italian artist—such as the wooden mannequins or objects scattered outside; or as counterparts, the fragments of natural landscapes engulfing household interiors—are evident as well. The accumulation of everyday items and the creation of evocative dreamlike images in this painting spark amazement. "La puerta abierta" distinctly unveils two essential motifs of metaphysical iconography—one is displayed in the boxes divided in triangular planes of different colors; the other one appears in the brick wall, with a skirting board designed with such extreme detail that causes visual ambiguity regarding its correspondence with the exterior or the interior of the building.