CLAISSE, GENEVIÈVE

* 17.7.1935 Quiévy, † 29.4.2018 Dreux

The French artist Geneviève Claisse was born in 1935 in Quiévy. The young Claisse studied numerous art journals, including Art d’Aujourd’hui, through which she discovered her passion for art. At the age of 18 she met her great uncle Auguste Herbin, who at that time was one of the most influential artists of classic modernism in France. Herbin encouraged and fostered her development by teaching his great niece himself. Clarisse held her first exhibition in 1958 in Paris, as well as in Cambrai.

Finally, the young artist decided to follow her great uncle to his studio in Paris, where she became his assistant. This step was decisive in paving the way for her to become an artist. Initially she focussed primarily on developing her own style. She also joined the Salon de Mai, an artist group, which was founded during the German occupation of France and was opposed to the National Socialist ideology. In 1961 Claisse met the gallery owner Denise René, who was fascinated by her art. She decided to represent Geneviève Claisse at her gallery. As a result, from then onwards Claisse’s work was to be found not only in Paris, but also in galleries in New York as well as at international art fairs. There were numerous exhibitions on the international stage, such as London, Copenhagen and even Tel Aviv. During this decade her sketch books contained compositions which were mostly dominated by triangles and circles. Some motifs, such as in the present work entitled «H», reappeared a short time later on canvas and were presented in group and solo shows around the world.

In the 1970s, Claisse distanced herself gradually from the previous geometric forms, and her work gradually became dominated by rectilinear structures. Lines of varying thickness and in different arrangements became the central focus of Claisse’s work at this time, which was later supplemented by square compositions. Geometric abstraction characterises Geneviève Claisse’s works throughout her artistic career. Creating depth and dynamism, her work establishes an interplay between form and colour, and so produces a sense of inner movement. She understood how to arrange individual components in such a way as to make the composition as a whole appear harmonious and balanced. Geneviève Claisse died in Deux in 2018.