On October 19th, PIASA is holding an Modern and Contemporary Art auction. As rich as it is varied, the catalogue for this sale includes several pieces by the "Affichistes" such as Jacques Villeglé, Mimmo Rotella and Raymond Hains.
Since 1949, the torn posters of the Nouveaux Réalistes (Raymond Hains, Jacques Villeglé, Mimmo Rotella and François Dufrêne) have borne witness to political, economic and social developments and sought to change the way abstract art was viewed by moving away from traditional means.
Through a liberating gesture, these torn-off fragments give life to a true expressionist composition, which illustrates the modern sociological panorama.
In this sale, three different approaches to paper and glue are presented, and Jacques Villeglé's works reflect the dominant popular culture. Through tears and misappropriated advertisements, the artist creates a framework of words that lose their visibility through superimposition, like a stratification of memory. Gaumont, 1964 (lot 21) and Avenue du Maine, 1974 (lot 22) evoke a reflection on events that are now past, with the repetition of a gesture that becomes an artistic attitude.
A versatile artist, Raymond Hains experimented with different techniques from 1945 onwards, from abstract photography to the neon lights created in 2005. Always in search of a new perception of reality, Ça gaze ou ça passe, 1987 (lot 24) represents the search for authenticity linked to a specific place. The metal sheet chosen by the artist in an EDF car park has several layers of paper on which one can read "Gaz de France". But this time, it is the pure material of the grey metal sheet that is valued over the images.
Raymond Hains (1926-2005)
Ça passe ou ça gaze, 1987
Estimate: 12 000 / 18 000 €
Finally, the works of Mimmo Rotella reflect a more aesthetic aspect, of a Roman life animated by cinematographic news. Strongly influenced by photography too, the artist produced his first "artypos" at the end of the 1960s. Confidenze, 1972 (lot 23) is the result of several overprints on "macules". With a futuristic touch, the work manifests itself as a simultaneous superimposition of several sets of vision, which gradually reveals itself to the eye.
Mimmo Rotella (1918-2006)
Confidenze, 1972
Estimate: 15 000 / 20 000 €
With the poster artists, the industrial and advertising sociology that has revolutionised the urban the sociology becomes a true artistic reality, free of any aesthetic interpretation. The works of these artists can be found in the collections of major international museums, including MOMA in New York, Tate Britain in London and MOCA in Los Angeles.
