Diffidenti Differenze is an example of Alighiero Boetti's mathematical permutations which explore the interplay between order and disorder. Part of a series of works on squared paper each dated to 1974 and measuring 70 x 100 cm, Boetti employed arithmetical mechanisms – such as the alternation between odd and even numbers, quantitative equivalences between addition and subtraction, and the infinite possibilities of multiplication and periodic numbers – to systematically blacken squares using ballpoint pen. This method, rooted in elementary rules, generated endless invention. Boetti made forty-three variations of these works in total.

Boetti's process involved penciling the initial designs, which were then meticulously inked by his assistant, Mariangela De Gaetano. This collaboration underscores Boetti's interest in shared authorship and the fusion of individual contributions within a structured framework.

Diffidenti Differenze reflects Boetti's fascination with the tension between systematic order and the inherent unpredictability of manual execution, inviting viewers to engage with the complexities of structure and variation.