François Morellet Sphère-Trames
1962
stainless steel
14.17 in ( 36 cm de diamètre cm )
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Provenance

Galerie Denise René, Paris
Private Collection, New York
Private Collection, New York
Christie's, Amsterdam
Private Collection, Belgium

Artwork's description

Co-founder of the Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuel (GRAV), François Morellet dedicated his career to exploring the mechanisms of visual perception, relying on rigorous systems often based on geometrical principles.

 

In his Sphères-Trames (1962), Morellet plays with the superimposition of geo- metric spheres and regular grids, creating a visual game where the shapes seem to vibrate, distort, or even move. The contrast between the curves of the spheres and the rectilinear grids establishes a visual tension that unsettles the viewer's gaze. This work, imbued with optical illusions, invites the specta- tor to actively participate by mentally interacting with the shapes and spaces.

 

Morellet sought to eliminate any subjective gesture, favoring repetitive struc- tures and the integration of randomness into his creations. This approach, both playful and methodical, reflects his ambition to make art both accessible and intellectually stimulating, while remaining deeply rooted in formal rigor. Sphères-Trames perfectly illustrates this distinctive method that permeated his entire body of work, leaving a lasting impact on the history of contemporary art.

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