In 1952 an Umbrian artist scandalized art critics worldwide with burned wood, flame-red paintings, dramatic combustions of plastics, and a black that was the color of tar: his name was Alberto Burri (Citta di Castello 1915 - Nice 1995), one of the greatest artists of all times. This book sets out to reveal many of his works that have remained unknown until today.

Alberto Burri (1915-1995) is a key early figure of the art informel and arte povera movements. This survey of work from the 1940s through the 90s highlights the artist's use of unorthodox materials like burlap, sackcloth, ceramic, plastic and tar and features a new essay by renowned scholar Germano Celant.