One day in March 2001 I went to visit the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, the work of Renzo Piano. I was very lucky, because in those days there was a personal exhibition of the painter Mark Rothko. I was curious to visit the building, but when I entered, a new world opened up before me. I didn't know Rothko, much less his works, I didn't know who he was, but when I entered the rooms I was enchanted by the colors that vibrated in front of me. The sensations were manifold. The joy of the reds, yellows, oranges were as if an orchestra played a magnificent symphony of colors for me. I was silent watching and listening to the colors that danced and gave off a whole new energy to me. I did not imagine that the colors could directly reach the soul and hit the body, the being. I remained to contemplate these great works in silence, as in a sacred place. The words were superfluous, because the dialogue was directed with these great paintings, which in turn dialogued with each other. It was something new to me, unknown. Rothko opened a new path for me to art, a language with which to speak with being. Since then I felt the desire to explore his new language and I began to study it, analyze it and try to imitate it, discovering in person and with my small resources, what colors can still offer.

Thank you, Mark Rothko.