BRAFA Art Fair

The Gallery present an exceptional and very artistic work by Calder, dated 1947, which explores the mythical forms (coils, scrolls, circles) which the artist used throughout his life, both in sculpture and in painting. The great strength of this work lies in the balance between the energy of the geometric vocabulary and the fluidity of the marine motifs, which vibrate and confer a sensation of movement, contrasting with the static nature of the two-dimensional works. This gouache, which is a rarity in view of its date, appears to be in tune with the whimsical nature of Joan Miró, a poetic artist and a friend of Calder’s, who will also be featured on the stand with two lyrical works.

This large bronze, representing a migratory bird perched on a rock in the middle of the ocean, is evocative of a great imagination, a dreamlike world making room for childhood and reverie. Rare by its patina, it was acquired by a French movie star directly from Aimé Maeght. The gallery also exhibit an oil on canvas, previously unseen on the art market: Personnage, oiseau. Composed of primary colours, previously discovered in Mondrian’s studio, it reveals the way in which Miró approached his subjects, between figuration and abstraction. 

The second part of the stand will feature another form of flight: lyrical abstraction, dripping, tachism and other revolutionary innovations developed by the greatest masters. These artists, mostly European, shared a singular and innovative artistic approach to painting or sculpture. Their working methods were experimental and matter-based, focused on fairly traditional mediums but using radically innovative techniques. The works on display seek to go beyond conventional painting: Hans Hartung’s scrapings and subtractions of matter will be presented alongside Poliakoff’s constructed forms, and Sam Francis’ vibrations and projections of colour juxtaposed with the lyricism of Gérard Schneider. 

Finally, the gallery exhibit a new set of works by Bernar Venet, who subscribed to minimalism for a time, but always in perpetual blossoming, offering us a singular and conceptual language which revolves around the notions of balance and space. Sculptures and graphic works will be given pride of place, allowing the viewer to establish the relationship between the two dimensions of his research.