WHAT WE KNOW

The exhibition focusses on three important artists of the Lyrical Abstraction movement, presenting ten paintings that are united in their artistic vision, yet are distinct and unique in their expressions. Gérard Schneider (Switzerland, 1896-1986) came from an antiques and art restorer family, studying art at school, and was taught by Fernand Cormon, Van Gogh’s teacher. Georges Mathieu (France, 1921-2012) did not study art but found his calling in art and performance art, favouring the drip technique and inventing Tubism – the art of applying paint directly from the tube to the canvas. Pierre Soulages (France, b. 1919) has been creating paintings in black throughout his career, exploring the movement of light and seeing light as a material that is reflected by black surfaces.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Schneider used prime colours boldly and unapologetically, creating works that are minimalistic yet calculated; Mathieu always veered towards the colour red, with strokes that danced and followed a certain rhythm; Soulages adopted a more philosophical approach in exploring light through dark surfaces. Put together in the same exhibition at Kwai Fung Hin’s classically elegant gallery space, there is no better opportunity to experience and appreciate the three masters of Lyrical Abstraction – a term coined by Mathieu, who wanted to highlight the artists’ intuition, spontaneity and explosiveness.