François Morellet: The 21st Century Artist
Catherine Millet examines the later years of François Morellet, emphasizing how he humorously and materially challenged geometric abstraction. Morellet passed away at the age of 90 on May 11, 2016, after previously battling illness. Originally written for the 2011 exhibition 'Réinstallations' at the Centre Pompidou, Millet's commentary addresses his series-focused creations, such as the 2007 show 'Quand j'étais petit je ne faisais pas grand.' His fascination with palindromes is showcased in the 2002 exhibition 'Telle Rome Morellet.' Significant pieces include '45 années lumière' (2008), 'L'Esprit d'escalier' (2010), and 'Ratés' (2001). His later works, including 'Steel Life' and 'Acrobatie' (2010), reflect physical deterioration and question the notion of utopian advancement in art.
Key facts
- François Morellet died on May 11, 2016 at age 90.
- Catherine Millet's text was written for the 2011 Centre Pompidou exhibition 'Réinstallations'.
- The 2007 exhibition 'Quand j'étais petit je ne faisais pas grand' enlarged 1952 paintings fourfold.
- The 2002 Rome exhibition was titled 'Telle Rome Morellet'.
- The 2008 exhibition '45 années lumière' surveyed light-based works from 1953 to 2008.
- The series 'Après Réflexion' (2004) rephotographed a 1964 participatory neon grid.
- The series 'Récréation' (mid-1990s) had children copy a grid, later transposed into neon.
- In 2010, 'L'Esprit d'escalier' was installed at the Louvre's Lefuel staircase.
- The 2001 series 'Ratés' used nine instead of sixteen L-shaped elements.
- The 2003 series 'Insignifiants' superimposed Star of David, Christian cross, and swastika.
- 'La Défonce' (1991) is a steel structure at the FNAC in La Défense appearing to collapse.
- The 2010 'Acrobatie' series uses blue neon rhomboids and red arcs.
- 'Strip-Teasing' (2007-2008) alternates fine lines and broad bands.
- 'Beaming π' (since 1998) converts digits of π into angles for articulated beams.
- In 2007, 'Ma Musée' at the Musée de Nantes erected white wooden structures based on '6 Lignes au hasard' (1975).
Entities
Artists
- François Morellet
- Catherine Millet
- Erik Verhagen
- Pierre Giquel
- Marcel Duchamp
- Philip Taaffe
- Ross Blechner
- Barnett Newman
- Bridget Riley
- Dan Flavin
- Frank Gehry
- Daniel Libeskind
- Serge Lemoine
- Rasmus Kleine
Institutions
- Centre Pompidou
- Galerie Volume!
- Musée du Louvre
- Fonds national d'art contemporain (FNAC)
- Musée de Nantes
- Museum für Konkrete Kunst
- Galerie Liliane et Michel Durand-Dessert
- École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts (Ensba)
- Musée d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris
- Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon
- art press
- Flammarion
- SilvanaEditoriale
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Paris
- France
- La Défense
- Nantes
- Saumur
- Vez
- Lyon
Sources
- artpress —