1951
During this decisive year, Lucio Fontana achieves significant artistic milestones. His proposal for the fifth door of the Duomo passes the second judgment, joining names like Enrico Manfrini and Francesco Messina.
On November 26 he signs with numerous intellectuals the fourth Manifesto of Spatial Art. He continues to develop the cycle of holes, using stones and colored glass to deepen reflection on dimensionality and the infinite, condensing concepts through absence and presence.
1952
He wins second prize ex aequo with Minguzzi for the fifth door of Milan Cathedral. At the Galleria del Naviglio he exhibits for the first time works from the cycle of holes, which he will present again in summer in a solo show, while perfecting the cycle of "stones".
He continues collaboration with architects and moves his studio to 23 corso Monforte, which he will keep until 1968.
1953
He creates ceilings with holes for the cinema of the Breda Pavilion and the Sidercomit Pavilion at the XXXI Milan Fair, using neon and metal ribbons in free fall, with architect Luciano Baldessari.
He again presents paintings from the cycle of holes at the Galleria del Naviglio, continuing to develop the "stones" with increasing experimentation.
1954
After a new solo show at the Galleria del Naviglio, he participates in the XXVII Venice Art Biennale with twenty works covering the period 1930–1952. He participates in the I International Congress of Industrial Design and the 1954 National Albisola Prize for Ceramics.
He publishes the essay La ceramica nell'Italia moderna in the first issue of Céramique of the Académie Internationale de la Céramique in Geneva. At the XXXII Milan Fair he creates with Baldessari a neon ceiling for the Breda Pavilion.
He continues the series of "stones", begins the cycles of "plasters" and "baroques", and develops in parallel ceramic sculpture. Giulia Veronesi writes about his work in the volume Tre pittori e tre scultori a Milano.
1955
Solo exhibitions of ceramics are held at the Galleria San Fedele (Rome) and the Galleria dello Zodiaco (Milan). He participates in numerous international exhibitions: Premier Festival International de la Céramique in Cannes, Exposición de Arte Italiano Contemporáneo in Madrid, Il Gesto at the Galleria Schettini in Milan and at the VII Roman Quadriennale with five paintings from the "stones".
The evolution begun in 1952 leads to a baroque inflection, which will become more pronounced until 1957. The dynamic conception of matter generates telluric images that reflect cosmic movement.
1956
At the Galleria del Naviglio the ten years of Spatialism are celebrated, with the participation of the historic artists. Fontana devotes himself to printmaking and participates in the Fourth International Biennal of Lithography in Cincinnati.
His works circulate in Australian cities in the exhibition Italian Art of the 20th Century, organized by Enrico Prampolini. He concludes the cycle of "stones" and develops those of "baroques" and "plasters".
1957
He participates in national and international events, with solo shows in Genoa, Milan, Rome, Turin and Venice. At the XI Milan Triennale, curated by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, he creates a wall composition with graffiti and colored glass on the entrance staircase.
He concludes the cycle of "baroques", develops that of "plasters", begins a new series of holes. He also begins to work on "inks" and "papers", creating "spatial" sculptures on iron stems.
1958
He exhibits in Bergamo with Piero Manzoni and Enrico Baj at the Galleria Bergamo, and organizes a new solo show at the Galleria del Naviglio. At the XXIX Venice Biennale he presents "baroques", plasters, sculptures on stems and inks. He signs the seventh Technical Manifesto of Spatialism.
1959
The cycle of slashes is presented at the Galleria del Naviglio and then at the Galerie Stadler in Paris, with a catalogue by Michel Tapié. Enrico Crispolti presents at the Galleria L'Attico in Rome the first comprehensive review of the work of Fontana, later exhibited at the Galleria Notizie in Turin.
He exhibits at II Documenta in Kassel and abroad. In Albisola he works on terracotta sculptures, beginning the cycle of natures. He devotes himself to holes, papers and especially slashes. The Quanta are born, constellations of paintings arranged on walls.
1960
The slashes are exhibited at the Galerie Schmela in Düsseldorf. In Venice he presents the natures at Palazzo Grassi in the exhibition Dalla natura all'arte and creates the spatial environment Esaltazione di una forma.
The exhibition Monochrome Malerei in Leverkusen positions him as a key figure in the overcoming of European Art Informel. He concludes the cycle of natures, made in terracotta in Albisola and then in bronze. He begins to use oil on canvas, opening the cycle of "oils".
