French painter, printmaker and master of abstract art, known for his canvases in which layers of "black-light" are superimposed in a hypnotic canvas, Pierre Soulages died on October 26, 2022, at the admirable age of 102. His career spanned more than 75 years, with hundreds of works to his credit, as well as numerous exhibitions paying tribute to his talent. The French artist has left us, but his legacy remains.
This jack-of-all-trades left his mark on the world ofabstract art and informal painting. So it's impossible to talk aboutcontemporary art without mentioning his name, his style and his works. In particular, Pierre Soulages perfected his "outrenoir" technique.
This method was invented by the painter in 1979, when he had just missed one of his paintings: " A big black smear. When I woke up, I went to look at the canvas. I saw that it was no longer the black that brought the canvas to life, but the reflection of light on the black surfaces. On the striated areas, the light vibrated, and on the flat areas everything was calm ", he revealed to art historian Hans-Ulrich Obrist in 2009, on the occasion of the retrospective organized by the Centre Pompidou. " The light comes from the painting to me, I'm in the painting ", he added, according to France Info.
Retrospectives, thematic exhibitions, group shows: Pierre Soulages has regularly been honored by museums and art galleries throughout his long career. As recently as 2021, his work was on show at theOpera Gallery .
However, you don't have to wait for the next tribute exhibition to admire the master's works. Many museums have a good number of his paintings and engravings in their permanent collections. To discover or rediscover this great artist, here are the museums to visit in Paris.
The temple of modern art in Paris, the Centre Pompidou is obviously the first place to go if you want to find out more about a modern or contemporary artist. The Beaubourg museum is home to several works by Pierre Soulages, dating from 1948 to 2002. These include the famous outrenoir canvases, as well as various graphic studies using a variety of plastic techniques.
The Musée d'Art Moderne also has two paintings by the master, dating from 1986 and 1959. Two works typical of Pierre Soulages' art, on display in the museum's permanent collections.
Pierre Soulages succeeded in imposing his art and gaining recognition for his talent. To such an extent that his paintings can be admired in small art galleries, as well as in high places of power. The Élysée Palace and the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, at Bercy, each boast a Soulages painting in their collections. Admittedly, these places are difficult to access for ordinary art lovers. But keep an eye out for a Soulages painting on the walls of the Élysée Palace during your next Heritage Days visits.
