François Morellet *

(Cholet, France 1926–2016)
Entre deux mers no. 1, 2012, (A & B) signed, dated, titled and numbered on the reverse of A., each acrylic on canvas mounted on wood and brushed stainless steel, ex. 3/3, each 100 x 100 x 50 cm (2)

Provenance:
Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska, Salzburg (label on the reverse)
Private Collection, Austria
Private Collection, France


“I’ve enjoyed juxtaposing two of these
'Entre deux mers.' I’ve been dreaming of showing several variations of 'Entre deux mers' in a single room from the beginning –
a room that wouldn’t be too big and, of course, with all the seas at the same level. That way, the viewer would really be
out at sea.”

www.hauserwirth.com/hauser-wirth-exhibitions/22190-francois-morellet-in-coherent/

The painter, graphic artist, object and installation artist François Morellet is recognised as one of the leading figures in geometric abstraction and played a pivotal role in founding Concrete Art in France. Drawing upon lines, circles, triangles and rectangles, he constructed intricate visual experiences, playfully undermining the strictness and order of geometric form with lightness and humour. The square, in particular—a recurring motif in his oeuvre—was for him both a source of fascination and amusement.

The work ‘Entre deux mers n°1’ exemplifies Morellet’s characteristic method of basing his compositions on mathematical principles and clearly defined visual frameworks, only to introduce subtle deviations that generate a sense of movement and wit. It belongs to a series of diptychs titled ‘Entre deux mers’ (Between Two Seas), created between 2012 and 2013. While the pristine white sections evoke a sense of distance or depth, the brushed stainless steel panels along the lower edges suggest the surface of the sea, reflecting the viewer’s real environment. On a metaphorical level, the title may refer to the liminal spaces and transitions that recur throughout Morellet’s oeuvre.

His distinctive humour emerges here in a minimal yet striking intervention: a tilt of roughly 20 degrees applied to the composition. In a nod to his fondness for absurdity, one might recall the Bordeaux white wine also named Entre-deux-Mers, traditionally served with oysters. The titled canvases could then be seen as a result of the dizziness brought on by excessive wine consumption. Only the horizon line remains firmly upright.