The 1960s and 1970s were decades marked by intense reflections in Europe. The aftermath of World War II had shattered the elite classes and their vision of the world, the art world were no exception. New artistic ideas and styles emerged in response to this crisis across Europe, North America, and Asia. Influenced by deconstructionist and Marxist theories, traditional easel painting was increasingly treated as a product of the bourgeois. In order to against this backdrop, the Support/Surface movement emerged in southern France in 1969, aiming to liberate French art from centuries of historical and conceptual constraints. It focused on the materials and techniques that make up painting, deconstructing the medium to challenge traditional notions of artistic practice. Alongside the Italian Arte Povera movement and the American Land Art, Support/Surface became one of the most significant forces in the reconfiguration of the artistic field of the 20th century.
Claude Viallat’s works are characterized by his use of infinitely repetitive patterns found on materials and textiles, such as the frame edges, tent canvases, tablecloths, curtains, and clothing. By abandoning direct imagery sources, Viallat explores techniques such as weaving, knotting, and dyeing—skills that have gradually been lost over time—reconnecting his works to their fundamental textures and colors. By openly displaying stitching marks and presenting multi-dimensional perspectives, Viallat disrupts the conventional notion of the canvas as a “flat” surface. The 19 artworks featured in this exhibition span three decades of Viallat’s career, offering a comprehensive view of his long-standing and tireless exploration of materials and pigments. The exhibition will remain on view until February 22nd, 2025.
Claude Viallat currently lives and works in France. He represented France at the 1988 Venice Biennale, and his works have been exhibited and collected by numerous prestigious art institutions worldwide. Including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Musée Fabre in Montpellier, the Ludwig Museum in Germany, the Frost Art Museum in the United States, the MuBe Museum in São Paulo, Brazil, and the Shanghai Bund Art Center.
