Simon Hantaï's Blancs Series Exhibited at Paul Kasmin Gallery in 2015

From October 22 to December 5, 2015, the Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York presented Simon Hantaï's Blancs series. This collection of large-scale paintings, originating from the early 1970s, showcases transparent shards of color layered over white backgrounds, all crafted through Hantaï's unique pliage technique. The artworks display a range of tonal variations and unexpected arrangements. Each piece features its own color palette, with acrylics mimicking watercolor to produce trompe l'oeil effects. The exhibition highlighted a vibrant canvas filled with rich hues alongside typical pieces characterized by expansive white areas. Additionally, it included selections from Hantaï's earlier Étude series and his later Tabula series. Hantaï, a Hungarian artist residing in France, employed pliage for three decades beginning in 1960 before stepping back from the French art scene in 1986.