128. Composition XXVIII [anii '60]

The transition from conventional painting to deep abstract happens against the backdrop of the artist's cultural climate shift, in 1946. As a result of the award obtained at the Official Salon in 1942 and helped by the painter Jean Alexandru Steriadi, who was more than confident in the creative force of the young artist, Horia Damian leaves the native space and leaves behind the artistic manner he had approached here. Leaving the national space represents, therefore, and the stylistic permutation of the artist's work. In Paris, Damian's new approach arouses the admiration of important figures on the international stage, including Yves Klein or Salvador Dali. The artist will learn to use painting as a speech in decoding the secrets of human destiny and will assume the role of guide in his attempt to direct public attention to the things he considers essential. Consequently, he will create the series of starry skies, a series that enjoyed real success on the cimaises of important galleries and international museums. His utopian universes, loaded with mystery, were the central point of the cosmogonic cycles, furrowed by small, white and sparkling points, which juxtapose endlessly, creating that specific depth of Horia Damian's work. The artist uses elements that he often included in his experiments from the previous decade and works predominantly in relief. Thus, his desire to create an immersive work that captures the viewer's attention and carries him into a distinct universe where he can give free rein to his imagination stands out. This composition refers to his famous galaxies, through the mixture of navy blue, white, and blue. We note equally the blending of strokes and abstract juxtapositions; but also the forms that emerge from overlapping lines or chromatic Superpositions.

References

Exhibition Catalog "Horia Damian", National Museum of Contemporary Art, September-October 2009. VARIA, Radu, "Horia Damian. Works from Romanian museums and collections, 1930-1946", Official Monitor Publishing House, Bucharest, 2009.

Dimensions

width 49.5 cm, height 64.5 cm

Description

Gouache, oil and gesso on cardboard

Dating

anii '60

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