Simon Hantaï Retrospective at Museum Frieder Burda in Baden-Baden
The Museum Frieder Burda in Baden-Baden is currently showcasing a retrospective of Simon Hantaï (1922–2008), a Hungarian-French artist, featuring 40 significant pieces spanning four decades. The exhibition highlights Hantaï's artistic journey, beginning with his gestural phase (1955–1959) and transitioning to his innovative folding technique from the early 1960s. This pliage method involved folding the canvas, painting it, and then unfolding it, leading to notable series such as 'Mariales,' 'Études,' 'Tabulas,' and 'Blancs.' In 1982, Hantaï represented France at the Venice Biennale with 18 works from the 'Tabulas' series. He later retreated from the public eye until his passing in 2008, with the exhibition placing him in the context of postwar modernism alongside US Minimalists and Barnett Newman.
Key facts
- Simon Hantaï (1922–2008) changed his canvas technique every two to three years.
- The Museum Frieder Burda in Baden-Baden presents a retrospective with 40 key works from four decades.
- Hantaï's gestural phase (1955–1959) was influenced by Jackson Pollock's floor-based painting.
- He developed the pliage method: folding, painting, and unfolding canvas, sometimes using an iron.
- In 1982, he represented France at the 40th Venice Biennale with 18 large 'Tabulas'.
- After 1982, he withdrew from public life, refused exhibitions, and did not sell his later works.
- The Centre Pompidou held a retrospective in 2013; Fondation Louis Vuitton celebrated his 100th birthday in 2022 with over 130 works.
- The Baden-Baden exhibition compares Hantaï to US Minimalists and Barnett Newman, but lacks comparative originals.
Entities
Artists
- Simon Hantaï
- André Breton
- Jackson Pollock
- Joan Mitchell
- Sam Francis
- Mark Rothko
- Clyfford Still
- Matisse
- Giotto
- Daniel Buren
- Michel Parmentier
- Barnett Newman
Institutions
- Museum Frieder Burda
- Centre Pompidou
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Uffizien-Galerie
- Biennale von Venedig
Locations
- Baden-Baden
- Germany
- Paris
- France
- Hungary
- Florence
- Italy
- Venice