Fernand Leger exhibition in Basel
ARTinvestment.RU   05 июня 2008

June 1, the Basel Foundation spouses Baeyeler (Fondation Beyeler) An exhibition «Fernand Léger: Paris - New York»

June 1, the Basel Foundation spouses Baeyeler (Fondation Beyeler) An exhibition «Fernand Léger: Paris - New York». Works by Leger (1881-1955) are the backbone of the collection of Ernst and Hilda Bayelerov that as a motto of its collection of the artist chosen words: «pretty - the main enemy of beauty».

At Leger retrospective exhibition presents all the major phases of his art. His works, written in the early 1910's in Paris (such as «the woman in blue» and «Contrasts of Forms»), reveal his obsession with cubism. After the First World War, Léger created his most famous works, depicting the urban, technological reality. Some of these pictures ( «City», «discs») can be seen in Basel. The exhibition includes figurative works, and 1920's, created in the style, ironically named «tubizm» because of the dominance in the composition of tubular forms. CENTRAL exhibits - monumental figurative work created during the artist's stay in the United States in the early 1940's (series «Divers »).

At the exhibition you can see not only paintings of Léger, but also some graphic works, as well as a short experimental film in 1924 «Mechanical Ballet», created in collaboration with Manoma Ray and Dudley Murphy.

Organizers of the exhibition was aimed not only to acquaint viewers with the major phases of creative work of famous French painter, but also to show its relationship with the United States. Crazy rhythm of life of large American cities, Americans' infatuation with technological innovations, their love of life had an enormous impact on the Leger. Especially liked the artist, New York and called the city «architectural work of art». In contrast, for example, from Pablo Picasso, Leger frequently visited the United States. In 1931, 1935 and 1938, it had made a short visit there, and from 1940 to 1945 he lived permanently in the States. Artist enjoyed popularity among U.S. tycoons, and they are often ordered his monumental work. In particular, Leger decorated New York apartment of Nelson A. Rockefeller, and also created a huge wall painting «Divers» Long Island.

Exhibition Fund spouses Bayeler remarkable that they show not only influenced American architecture and way of life for Leger creativity, but creativity and influence of this great artist at the famous representatives of postwar American art. Love Lezha to bright colors, his admission of an overlay of figurative images of each other and his admiration for the dynamism of modern art anticipated the city searching for such artists as Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, James Rozenkvist, Ellsuort Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, etc. In each room, on a particular period in the works of Leger, one can see the work of cult heroes of the post-war artists, whose works have influenced modern concepts they Leger. Some of their works, such as «Scene-blende to the brush head and Lezha» Roy Lichtenstein directly refer to the work of the great French modernist. The website, specially created for this exhibition, Fernand Leger named «the father of pop art».

Large-scale exhibitions, showing us the different periods in art history, have become the pride of the Fund's spouse Bayeler. In 1999, there was exhibition «Cézanne and modern art», which was clearly demonstrated a close relationship creative artists of XX century with the works of the master from Aix. And organized in 2004, described the exposition of the impact of the great artists of different centuries - from Titian to Alberto Giacometti - have had on British works of the famous Francis Bacon.

At the exhibition «Fernand Léger: Paris - New York» can be seen working, specially provided for the display of the leading museums of the world, such as the Museum Ludwig (Cologne), Tate Gallery (London), the Center Pompidou (Paris) , Museum of Modern Art (New York), etc.

The exhibition will last till September 7.

Sources: http://www.artaujourdhui.info , http://www.artdaily.org , http://www.beyeler.com .