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Francois Morellet Biography
François Morellet was a pioneering French artist whose innovative work spanned over six decades, profoundly influencing the trajectory of geometric abstraction, minimal art, and conceptual art. Born on April 30, 1926, in Cholet, France, Morellet was a self-taught artist whose early forays into painting began at the tender age of 14. Despite his initial interest in literature, which he pursued in Paris, his passion for art prevailed, leading him to embark on a creative journey that would see him become one of the most influential abstract artists of the 20th century.
Upon completing his studies, Morellet returned to Cholet in 1948 and took over the family-owned toy factory, Morellet-Guérineau. This role, which he maintained until 1975, provided him with financial stability and inadvertently exposed him to industrial materials and production techniques that would later become integral to his artistic practice. During this period, Morellet described himself as a "Sunday painter," dedicating his free time to painting while managing the business during the week.
Morellet's artistic direction took a decisive turn in 1950 following a transformative trip to Brazil, where he encountered the Concrete Art movement and met Swiss artist Max Bill, one of the movement's key figures. This experience, coupled with a visit to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, in 1952, catalyzed Morellet's deep engagement with geometric abstraction. He began to develop a systematic, rule-based approach to art-making, which became the foundation of his practice for the remainder of his career.
In 1960, Morellet co-founded the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV) with fellow artists Joël Stein, Julio Le Parc, Jean-Pierre Yvaral, Francisco Sobrino, and Horacio Garcia Rossi. GRAV was dedicated to "programmed experimental painting" and sought to explore the possibilities of Kinetic art and multi-sensory installations. The group's work challenged traditional notions of the artist as a solitary genius, instead emphasizing collective and interactive art-making processes.
Following the disbandment of GRAV in 1968, Morellet's work became increasingly architectural, incorporating large steel structures and compositions made from neon tubes, a material he first introduced into his practice in 1963. His work during this period was characterized by a deliberate simplicity and a focus on the interplay between light, space, and viewer perception.
Despite the minimalistic nature of his art, Morellet's oeuvre was diverse, encompassing oil, acrylic, screenprinting, metal, and neon sculpture. His playful approach to titles and his use of humor and wordplay revealed a lighter side to his otherwise rigorous and systematic practice.
Morellet's contributions to the art world were recognized internationally, with his works being included in prestigious collections such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Dia Art Foundation in Beacon, New York, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Seoul Museum of Art in South Korea, the Nationalgalerie in Berlin, the Fondazione Calderara in Milan, the Kunsthaus Zurich, the Musée National d'Art Moderne at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Tate Collection in London.
Throughout his career, Morellet had numerous solo exhibitions, including retrospectives at the Centre Pompidou, the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, the Musée d’art contemporain in Montreal, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Center for the Fine Arts in Miami. In 2010, he became one of the few contemporary artists to have a permanent installation at the Louvre in Paris.
François Morellet passed away on May 10, 2016, in his hometown of Cholet, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and influence artists and art enthusiasts around the world. His work remains a testament to the power of abstraction and the potential of art to engage viewers in new and thought-provoking ways.
Francois Morellet Quotes and
Sales of Works
Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the
artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and
evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current
market values.
If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the
artist, contact us immediately.
If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the
works:
Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back,
and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of
the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work
and any kind of available documentation (purchase
receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One
of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We
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professionalism.
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