The Significant Message of Georges Mathieu (1952)
The book for Mathieu's first solo US exhibition and an important development in the Art Informel movement
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Printing Details
First edition. Oblong paperback in wraps. 21 × 27.5cm, unpaginated (14pp). Text in English and French.
This is a book issued for Georges Mathieu's first solo US exhibition at Alexander Iolas Gallery in New York, having previously been at Studio Facchetti in Paris. It is formed of two essays, the first being Michel Tapié's The Significant Message of Georges Mathieu, in which he describes Mathieu's work without a traditional predefined logic or structure but more an informal adventure with "implacable rigour", and that the artist has reached a state of "complete lucidity" where he can dominate a canvas with total freedom. The second essay is Georges Mathieu's 'Anagogy of Non-Figuration' which is a more theoretical and psychological defence of his process, which he calls "anti-pictorial". He argues his art is far removed from the Western traditional concepts of painting and rejects idea of copying or interpreting from nature, instead he focuses on the 'inexorable desire to transmit a message". To Mathieu, the act of painting is a physical discharge of energy rather than a slow, calculated composition. The book is illustrated with two photographs of Mathieu and two of his work.
An important document of the Art Informel movement.
Condition
Good condition. There is some light surface wear to the covers and some tanning to the pages but it remains in strong readable condition.
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Price
£50.00
