Pierre Marie Brisson Terrien
Bonne nuit 2014 mixed media on canvas 21 x 26 in.
Pierre Marie Brisson
T e rr i e n ( M a n
o f t h e E a rt h)
Art is the unceasing effort to compete
with the beauty of flowers and never succeeding.
– Ma rc C h ag a l l
FR AN KL IN B OWL ES GAL L ER IES san francisco / new york
FRONT COVER: THIS PAGE:
Etoiles en forme de fleurs (detail) 2015 - see pages 16-17
L'effet bleu, II (detail) 2015 - see page 6
Herbier, I 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in.
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Pierre Marie Brisson:
T e rr ie n ( M an o f the Earth)
Beauty has always been a prime component of art so it is no wonder that the marvelous, natural and diverse subject of flowers has appeared repeatedly throughout history including often in the work of Pierre Marie Brisson. His newest body of work is centered on the flower. He draws references from early botanical illustrations, the Dutch who were renowned for their floral still lives, as well as the Impressionists and American Modernists. He distills these influences, making them his own through his unique use of materials and technique.
Judith Leyster Tulip Book , 1643
He is
surrounded by inspiration as his home in the ancient town of Aigues Morte in southern France lies near the ocean where his gardens are endless and almost appear to arise from the sea. The use of botanical imagery appears in Western art from the earliest days but primarily for purposes of botanical identification which was important for medicinal purposes. With Albrecht Durer Iris Troiana, 1508
the reformation of the church starting in the 15th century, artists were able to turn to secular subjects and to secular patrons from the newly prosperous merchant class and the golden age of flower painting was born. The first exciting innovations in flower painting came from the Mod-
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder Still Life of Flowers, c 1619
ernist period in France; realism was eclipsed by other formal concerns as in, for example, Manet’s peonies and Van Gogh’s sunflowers and irises. Striking color and design replaced the vases of flowers so common in still lives of earlier periods. Brisson’s work pays homage to these changes in many ways; his work often combines the graphic qualities of Manet with the formal elegance of Van Gogh. Piet Mondrian Amaryllis, 1910
Vincent Van Gogh Iris, 1889
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Of course, the Modernists were strongly influenced by the flatness and abstraction found in Japanese prints which were just beginning to appear in France before the turn of the 20th century. Like the objects in these prints, many of Brisson’s compositions depict flowers blossoming in undefined space; there is no sense of gravity and little in the way of visual elements to help with orientation so that structure, pattern, and color become the subject as much as any type of flower. In America, artists first became interested in treat-
Pierre Marie Brisson
ing the flower as an independent subject, free from Hokusai Bullfinch on Weeping Cherry, c. 1840
landscape and botanical interest, in the mid-nineteenth century. There is an interesting affinity between the floral works of Georgia O’Keefe and Andy Warhol and the work of Brisson. As in some of their iconic works, Brisson’s flower shapes can explode across the canvas through the power of scale and color with little background to distract from their sheer force of personality. Flowers are timeless and have been illustrated and
Andy Warhol, Flowers, 1970
loved across borders and centuries. We’re thrilled that Pierre Marie Brisson has focused our exhibition Henri Matisse, Still Life, 1941
on his personal interpretation of this lovely subject and we are very pleased to present this stunning collection of his new work.
Georgia O’Keefe, Oriental Poppies, 1928 OPPOSITE:
Les jours ne se ressemblent pas, I 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 64 in.
5
Ombre rouge sur fond jaune 2015 mixed media on canvas 39 x 39 in.
L'effet bleu, II 2015 mixed media on canvas 32 x 39 in.
OPPOSITE:
6
Les coulisses 2014 mixed media on canvas 45 x 57 in.n..
7
L'oiseau 2015 mixed media on canvas 31 x 31 in.
Un oiseau s'est envolĂŠ 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 38 in. OPPOSITE:
Entre ciel et mer, II 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 64 in.
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1
3
2
10
1 Les petites choses, I 2014 mixed media on canvas 26 x 21 in. 2 Jardin bleu, III 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. 3 Herbe rouge, II 2014 mixed media on canvas 39 x 39 in. 4 LibertĂŠ 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in.
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If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small like the flower is small. So I said to myself – I’ll paint it big …and they will be surprised. – Georgia O’Keefe
ABOVE:
L'attente de l'abeille 2014 mixed media on canvas
OPPOSITE:
12
47 x 47 in.
Carnet imaginaire, I 2015 mixed media on canvas 38 x 51 in.
13
1 Jardin bleu, IV 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. 2 Les uns pas dessus les autres, III 2015 mixed media on canvas 1
29 x 24 in.
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3 Les uns par dessus les autres, I 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. 4 Jardin bleu, II 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in.
2
14
4
Agitation, II 2014 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in.
15
1 Evolution, II 2014 mixed media on canvas 21 x 25 in. 2 1
Jardin bleu, I 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. OPPOSITE:
Etoiles en forme de fleurs 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 77 in.
2
16
Exhibition Bleu c'est Bleu, Chapelle des Capucins, Aigues-Mortes France / Photo: Pierre Schwartz
L'effet bleu, IV 2015 mixed media on canvas 32 x 39 in.
Ombre jaune sur fond rouge 2015 mixed media on canvas 39 x 39 in.
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LEFT:
Iris bleu 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in. OPPOSITE:
Entre ciel et mer, I 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 64 in.
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1 Substance bleue, IV 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. 2 Les petites choses, III 2014 mixed media on canvas 26 x 21 in. 1
3
3
Le bouquet 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. 4 Les uns par dessus les autres, II 2015 mixed media on canvas 24 x 29 in.
2
22
4
Les pĂŠtales bleus 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in.
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LEFT:
Herbier, IV 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in. OPPOSITE:
Iris blanc 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 64 in.
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25
Caroline 2014 Plage I 2014
26
mixed media on canvas
39 x 39 in.
mixed media on canvas
31 x 31 in.
Carnet imaginaire, II
2015 mixed media on canvas 38 x 51 in.
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LEFT:
Jour de pluie étoilé 2014 mixed media on canvas 78 x 78 in. OPPOSITE:
Une valse à deux temps 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 64 in.
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RIGHT:
Dame en bleu 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in. OPPOSITE:
Le bain de minuit 2015 mixed media on canvas 38 x 51 in.
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Index
1
Jolie fleur
32
Agitation, II
15
Jour de pluie étoilé
28
Aquatique
32
L'attente de l'abeille
12
Bonne nuit
Inside front cover
L'effet bleu, II
6
Carnet imaginaire, I
13
L'effet bleu, IV
19
Carnet imaginaire, II
27
L'oiseau
9
Caroline
26
Le bain de minuit
30
Dame en bleu
31
Le bouquet
22
Entre ciel et mer, I
21
Les coulisses
7
Entre ciel et mer, II
8
Les jours ne se ressemblent pas, I
4
Etoiles des mers
Inside back cover
Les pétales bleus
23
Etoiles en forme de fleurs
16-17
Les petites choses, I
10
Evolution, II
16
Les petites choses, III
22
Herbe rouge, II
10
Les uns par dessus les autres, I
14
Herbier, I
2
Les uns par dessus les autres, II
22
Herbier, II
Back cover
Les uns pas dessus les autres, III
14
Herbier, IV
24
Liberté
11
Iris blanc
25
Ombre rouge sur fond jaune
6
Iris bleu
20
Ombre jaune sur fond rouge
19
Jardin bleu, I
16
Plage I
26
Jardin bleu, II
14
Substance bleue, IV
22
Jardin bleu, III
10
Un oiseau s'est envolé
9
Jardin bleu, IV
14
Une valse à deux temps
29
1: Aquatique
2014 mixed media on canvas 21 x 25 in.
2: Jolie fleur 2015 mixed media on canvas 29 x 24 in. OPPOSITE:
Etoiles des mers 2015 mixed media on canvas 51 x 64 in.
BACK COVER:
2
Herbier, II 2015 mixed media on canvas 59 x 59 in.
SPRING 2015
PROJECT MANAGER:
Stacey Bellis / CATALOG DESIGN: D. Lee Myers / PHOTOGRAPHY: Pierre Schwartz
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FR AN K LIN B OW LES GA LLER IES 765 / 799 Beach Street San Francisco CA 94109 415.441.8008 800.926.9535 349 Geary Street San Francisco CA 94102 415.441.8008 800.926.9535 431 West Broadway New York NY 10012 212.226.1616 800.926.9537
f ra n k l in b o w l es g a l le r y. c o m
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