In the late 1940s, Lucio Fontana began puncturing the surface of sheets of paper and canvases in an attempt to blur the distinction between two- and three-dimensionality. Over the next two decades, he continued to seek new ways of developing the hole as his signature gesture. In Spatial Concept, Waiting, Fontana covered the canvas with paint and then sliced the picture plane from top to bottom using a utility knife, gently prying each incision open with his hands. Lastly, he backed the canvas with black gauze. This final step not only stabilized the work but also created an illusion that was important to Fontana—suggesting a mysterious space just behind and beyond the canvas itself. This aspect of his compositions was crucial for the artist, who once said, “I do not want to make a painting; I want to open up space, create a new dimension, tie in the cosmos, as it endlessly expands beyond the confining plane of the picture.”

Label from Giant Steps: Artists and the 1960s, June 30–December 30, 2018