Marie-Hélène Popelard's Study on Josef Sima's Overlooked Oeuvre
A new 300-page essay by Marie-Hélène Popelard, published by Éditions le bois d'Orion, examines the life and work of Czech painter Josef Sima (1891–1971). Sima arrived in Paris in 1921 and was involved with the Grand Jeu group (alongside poets René Daumal and Roger-Gilbert Lecomte) until 1932, later befriending Pierre-Jean Jouve and René Char. After a nearly decade-long hiatus from painting, Sima resumed in 1950 and produced a singular body of work that remains underrecognized. A major exhibition at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1992 helped, but Popelard's book aims to spark a comprehensive retrospective in France, including works from Sima's time with the Czech avant-garde group Devetsil. The book opens with a text by Bernard Noël. Roger Gilbert-Lecomte once described Sima's inner experience as 'unknown heroism.'
Key facts
- Marie-Hélène Popelard authored a 300-page essay on Josef Sima.
- The book is published by Éditions le bois d'Orion.
- Josef Sima (1891–1971) was a Czech painter who moved to Paris in 1921.
- Sima was part of the Grand Jeu group until 1932.
- He stopped painting for nearly ten years before resuming in 1950.
- The Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris held a Sima exhibition in 1992.
- Popelard's book includes a text by Bernard Noël.
- Roger Gilbert-Lecomte referred to Sima's work as 'unknown heroism.'
Entities
Artists
- Josef Sima
- René Daumal
- Roger-Gilbert Lecomte
- André Breton
- Pierre-Jean Jouve
- René Char
- Bernard Noël
- Jacques Henric
Institutions
- Éditions le bois d'Orion
- Grand Jeu
- Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
- Devetsil
Locations
- Paris, France
- Czechoslovakia
Sources
- artpress —