Francois Morellet

Work in the collection: Francois Morellet, Balance war no. 2, 2000, acrylic and pastel paint on wood, neon tube, 85 x 103 cm.

Francois Morellet found his way to painting as an autodidact, only occasionally taking lessons from a teacher. Starting from landscapes in dull colors, through still lifes, his paintings evolve towards a more stylized form. From 1950 onwards he speaks of himself as an abstract painter. He discovers the image carrier as seemingly infinite, since the works continue beyond the edges. The technique of all-over painting, which was established by Jackson Pollock, is also helpful. More important to Morellet are the artistic techniques than an end result. He constantly tries to think further about his work and uses neon as a material from 1963. The artist is interested in the specific material properties of the neon tubes. Over time he also became interested in architecture and space. In 1992, Morellet summarized his oeuvre in the work “Relâche n° 1”. For this work he uses all the materials that have played a role in his work so far – from the painted canvas to neon tubes to adhesive and metal tape – he is also guided by the laws of chance, which give the work the charm of (designed ) gives disorder.

Born in Cholet (France) in 1926
Died in Cholet in 2016
1948-1975 work in the parental company
1960-1968 member of the group “GRAV” (Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel), a group of kinetically working artists
lived and worked in Cholet and Paris.