At center Pompidou, Matisse is our favorite exhibition !

He is one of the most famous artists of the  20th century. The only one who can compete with Pablo Picasso in terms of genius and international, legendary, never-ending fame. Henri Matisse (1869-1954) drew, painted, sculpted, engraved, cut, glued… Today, he is highlighted by one of the most beautiful exhibitions of the year, viewable from October 21, 2020 till February 22, 2021 - those who deserve to rush to the ticket office to book their ticket, despite the health context. Why?
 

BECAUSE IT IS ENRICHED WITH 230 WORKS AND 70 ARCHIVED DOCUMENTS

On the sixth floor of the museum, which is uniquely accessible through an elevator during the escalator works, the Matisse exhibition unravels its long journey, just like a novel. On the agenda? A life of art divided into nine chapters and portrayed through 230 works. Among these, around a hundred come from the National Museum of Modern Art collection, and the rest have been exceptionally loaned by the Matisse museums in Cateau-Cambrésis and Nice. Another lender, Musée de Grenoble offers one of its rarest works, Interior of eggplants dated 1911. In short, it is a wonderful opportunity to see works which come from the North and South of France.

BECAUSE IT OFFERS A LITERARY TAKE ON THE WORK OF MATISSE

The title, Matisse, like a Novel, has a lot to say: taking over the book by Aragon published in 1971, the exhibition strives to make Matisse's work communicate through words. It calls out to writers, poets, and art critics to gaze at the painter. Present: Louis Aragon (of course) not to mention Georges Duthuit, Dominique Fourcade, Clement Greenberg, Charles Lewis Hind, Pierre Schneider and Jean Clay see their texts having a talk with the works, for an exhibition which can be read but also looked at.

 

BECAUSE IT HELPS DISCOVERING THE ENTIRE CAREER OF MATISSE 

First step of the journey? The years 1895-1903, when Matisse forged ahead in his thirties by traveling (in Brittany, Corsica) and taking his first steps (a wee bit late) as a painter. Following which, second room onward, one discovers Fauvism and the consolidation of his style with, mainly a Self-portrait with green cheeks painted in 1906. He then asserts himself, with a gusto look on the non-European arts side, taking an interest in oriental rugs, African sculpture. It’s war time, the painter focuses on intimate work, which is all the more powerful. Years go by and it’s time for the major projects of 1940s, Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence. An entire life is scanned through the rooms - leaving us dumbfounded through so much colorful and formal research.

 

BECAUSE IT MAKES US WANT TO DISCOVER ESTHER MARLOT, NICOLE GARILLI AND MICHEL HASSON

Once you have browsed through the exhibition, you feel like: looking at the current artists, who are reminiscent of Matisse as they unveil their own universes. Among the visual artists supported by Carré d'Artistes, Esther Marlot recalls the soft melancholy absent from the painter's figures, through paintings in which women look afar, indoors decorated with patterns and plants. Nicole Garilli’s work is more festive, with more melody, she takes us to cafes, concerts - the atmosphere is exquisitely retro! Last but not least, Michel Hasson, reminds us of Matisse's passion for paper cut-outs. He makes these with geometric shapes, plants, animals ... Impressively skillful!