Geometric abstract art, often perceived as a domain of mathematical rigor and formal austerity, has nevertheless been deeply shaped by many women artists who have appropriated its codes while infusing them with a sensitive, poetic, or intuitive dimension. Far from being marginal to the movement, these creators have played a vital role in its evolution through demanding practices and original formal explorations.
They often faced a double challenge: asserting themselves in a predominantly male art world and gaining recognition within an aesthetic trend often seen as “cold” or “rational.” Yet, through their unwavering commitment, inventiveness, and ability to explore formal rigor as a space for personal expression, they have profoundly renewed the way geometric abstraction is perceived.
Their work reveals a wide variety of approaches: some embraced austerity and mathematical precision, while others introduced elements of sensitivity, the body, or emotion. Together, they shifted the boundaries and enriched the movement with a new depth.
Among them, Aurélie Nemours (1910–2005) (lots 54 to 60) holds a central place. Her work, imbued with spirituality, is based on a vocabulary of simple forms—squares, lines, pure colors—which she arranges with near-mystical precision. Her quest for universal harmony is expressed through a plastic asceticism, a progressive reduction to the essential.
Vera Molnár (1924–2023) (lots 61 to 66) was one of the first artists to incorporate the computer into the creative process. Her algorithmic approach to composition, which she called her "imaginary machine," explores repetition, controlled randomness, and subtle system disruptions. She skillfully brought together geometric rigor and randomness, science and intuition, in a pioneering body of generative art.
Ode Bertrand (born in 1930) (lots 67 to 68) belongs to a more meditative tradition. A former classical dancer, she translates into her painting a deep sense of rhythm and movement. Through delicate lines, often inspired by the golden ratio, she constructs grids and signs that transcend pure mathematical rigidity to touch on a kind of inner vibration.
