Pierre Soulages
Opera Gallery New York is thrilled to present a solo exhibition honoring French artist Pierre Soulages, showcasing a curated selection of important paintings by the artist from the post-war period to present day. Soulages’ decades spanning career is a testament to the force and power of his artistic practice.
Born in Rodez in southern France in 1919, young Soulages was drawn to powerful expressions of humanity. First inspired by the region’s menhirs, which are carved standing stones dating to the late Neolithic era, he later decided to become a painter while standing beneath the barrel vault ceiling of the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy de Conques, France, watching light and shadow come to life. The 20,000 year old cave paintings found nearby were also a point of inspiration. Notably, his color palette has scarcely deviated from the rich, elemental reds, blacks and ochres used by the ancient artists who worked in the darkness of the caves.
We invite visitors to immerse themselves in the world of Pierre Soulages, where a myriad of influences culminates into an instinctive, radical, and immersive body of work. Soulages approaches each new painting as the advancement of his investigations of depth and light, thus giving substance to the unreal and unique light emanating from each.
SELECTED WORKS
Pierre Soulages, Gouache sur papier 76 x 57,5 cm, 1977
Gouache on paper laid on canvas
76 x 57,5 cm | 29.9 x 22.6 in
Pierre Soulages, Peinture 92 x 73 cm, 1974
Oil on canvas
92 x 73 cm | 36.2 x 28.7 in
Pierre Soulages, Peinture 81 x 54 cm, 1951
Oil on canvas
81 x 54 cm | 31.9 x 21.3 in
Pierre Soulages, Peinture 142 x 182 cm, 2018
Acrylic on canvas
142 x 182 cm | 55.9 x 71.7 in
Pierre Soulages, Peinture 130 x 89 cm, 8 juin 1959, 1959
Oil on canvas
130 x 89 cm | 51.2 x 35 in