Caziel: In Search of a New Reality

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CAZIEL A R T

6 DUKE STREET ST. JAMES’S LO N D O N S W 1 Y 6 B N TEL.+44(0)20 7930 9332 info@whitfordfineart.com w w w. w h i t f o r d f i n e a r t . c o m

F I N E

F I N E A R T

W H I T F O R D

WHITFORD

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IN SEARCH OF A NEW REALITY Abstract works 1948–1955

23 May – 22 June 2012

All Works are for Sale

WHITFORD F I N E A R T

6 DUKE STREET ST. JAMES’S LONDON SW1Y 6BN TEL. +44 (0)20 7930 9332 EMAIL info@whitfordfineart.com

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Above: Caziel (Kazimierz Jozef Zielenkiewicz, 1906–1988), 1951 Front cover: Abstract Composition, c.1951 (cat. no. 34)

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CAZIEL: In Search of a New Reality Abstract works from 1948–1955

Caziel, my grandfather, had an analogy to describe his belief in Abstraction, drawing a parallel between art and music in general, and to Arthur Honegger’s Pacific 231 (1924) in particular. Should one listen to this incredible piece of music and feel a spontaneous rush of emotion, then that intangible, sensual reaction is the key to Abstraction. On the other hand, if the listener was informed that the piece describes a train arriving at a station, then the music loses its ineffable gravitas, ceases to be abstract, and consequent listenings will be marred by the concrete description. In actual fact, Honegger had not written this piece to mimic a train; instead he carefully constructed the rhythms and timbres in a way which intentionally evoked a certain reaction in the audience. In much the same way, Caziel worked like an alchemist combining colours and shapes in exactly the desired amounts, in order to create a response to the essence of being; his works do not defy description but to look for tangible meaning is to deny them of their utilitarian purpose.

Caziel believed in the healing power of the visual arts, his thoughtful combinations of colour and form aim to nourish the soul just as food nourishes the body.

Works from this period, 1948-1955, represent Caziel's departure from figuratively informed Cubism, and the start of his search for a new abstract language. Having met Picasso in 1948, they shared a studio in Paris for the following five years. Over this period Caziel exhibited alongside Vasarely, Manessier and Hartung at the Salon de Mai, annually submitting works which show reverence for the early cubist innovations of Braque and Picasso through which he arrived at his own personal brand of abstraction.

This exhibition brings together some of the most important and inspiring works from Caziel's early Abstract period, from a time when he was at the centre of the Post-War Parisian art scene. In search of a new dimension, his art transcends the natural stimulus of figuration, bringing to life an unseen world punctuated by nuances in colour, texture and form, yet always humanistic in intention. These works represent the start of Caziel's journey into Abstraction, a route which he would follow with inexhaustible passion for the rest of his life.

Max Stiegler, May 2012

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1.

Composition 8. June 1955 Oil on canvas 41 x 27 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 316, p. 55.

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2.

Composition 09.51 1951 Oil on board laid on panel 71.5 x 51 cm EXHIBITED: 2008, Caziel: "Je Suis Abstrait"- Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 266, p. 53; Caziel: 'Je Suis Abstrait' - Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London, 2008, exhibition catalogue with introduction by An Jo Fermon, cat. no. 17, ill.

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3.

Abstract Composition c.1950 Charcoal 48 x 63 cm

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4.

Composition in Blue and Black 1949 Oil on canvas 47 x 61 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 224, p. 52

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5.

Composition “Cobra” c.1948 Oil on canvas 26 x 47 cm EXHIBITED: 1997, CAZIEL: Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné.

National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 153, p. 50; CAZIEL: Works from the Fifties, exhibition catalogue, Whitford Fine Art, London, 1997, cat. no. 16, ill.

6.

Composition “Cobra” c.1948 Oil on canvas 30 x 51 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 164, p. 51.

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7.

Architectonic Composition 1951 Oil on artist’s board 40 x 32 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 270, p. 53.

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8.

Composition 4.06.1955 1955 Oil on canvas 81 x 65 cm Inscribed “Katy" verso EXHIBITED: 1998, Caziel 1906-1988, Retrospective, National Museum, Warsaw.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 315, p. 55, ill. pl. 44.

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9.

Composition 51 1951 Charcoal 48 x 63.3 cm

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10. Oval Composition 1949 Oil on canvas 58 x 71.3 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 184, p. 51.

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11. Abstract Composition 1949 Charcoal 48 x 28.5 cm

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12. Composition with Moon 1951 Oil on canvas 46 x 55 cm EXHIBITED: 1998, Caziel 1906-1988, Retrospective, National Museum, Warsaw.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 288, p. 54.

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13. Composition 54.XI 1954 Watercolour and Gouache 48.5 x 62.5 cm

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14. Composition no.30 1948 Oil on canvas 56 x 62 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 162, p. 51.

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15. Architectonic Composition 1949 Gouache and pencil 48 x 62 cm

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16. Abstract Composition c.1948 Oil on canvas 73 x 29 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 170, p. 51.

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17. Architectonic Composition c.1952-53 Oil on canvas 90 x 128 cm EXHIBITED: 2008, Caziel: "Je Suis Abstrait"- Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 299, p. 54.; Caziel: 'Je Suis Abstrait' - Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London, 2008, exhibition catalogue with introduction by An Jo Fermon, cat. no. 32, ill.

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18. Composition May 50 1950 Charcoal and chalk 48 x 31 cm

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19. Abstract Composition 1951 Oil on canvas 46 x 55 cm EXHIBITED: 1997, CAZIEL: Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

LITERATURE: CAZIEL: Works from the Fifties, exhibition catalogue, Whitford Fine Art, London, 1997, cat. no. 48, ill.

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20. Architectonic Composition c.1949 Gouache 48 x 63 cm

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21. Composition “Cobra” 1950 Oil on canvas 53 x 70 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 237, p. 53.

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22. Composition 50 1950 Charcoal 31 x 48 cm

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23. Composition 51.IX 1951 Gouache 48 x 62.5 cm

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24. Geometric Composition c.1951 Oil on artist’s board 40.5 x 20 cm

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25. Composition “Cobra” c.1948 Oil on canvas 21 x 54 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 141, p. 50.

26. Composition “Cobra” c.1948 Oil on canvas 23 x 52 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue Raisonné. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 147, p. 50.

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27. Composition no.3 1952 Oil on canvas 80 x 97 cm Inscribed "pour Katy" upper centre EXHIBITED: 1998, Caziel 1906-1988, Retrospective, National Museum, Warsaw.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 293, p. 54, ill. pl. 38.

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28. Composition c.1955 Oil on panel 43 x 23 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 326, p. 55.

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29. Abstract Composition 1949 Oil on canvas 50 x 81 cm EXHIBITED: 1998, Caziel 1906-1988, Retrospective, National Museum, Warsaw.

LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 183, p. 51, ill. pl. 36.

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30. Architectonic Composition c.1949 Gouache and charcoal 48 x 62 cm

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31. Architectonic Composition c.1950 Oil on canvas 55 x 46 cm EXHIBITED: 1998, Caziel 1906-1988, Retrospective, National Museum, Warsaw.

LITERATURE: J. PERRY, The Grand Play of Light. The Art & Life of Caziel, London, 1997, ill. pl. 40; MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 260, p. 53, ill. pl. 37.

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32. Abstract Composition c.1948 Oil on canvas 14 x 22 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ.

National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais. no. 134, p. 50.

33. Geometric Composition c.1952 Oil on canvas 23 x 39.5 cm

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34. Abstract Composition c.1951 Oil on canvas 61 x 50 cm

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35. Geometric Composition c.1950 Oil on hardboard 50 x 61 cm LITERATURE: MONKIEWICZ, Dorota. Caziel 1906-1988, Catalogue RaisonnĂŠ. National Museum, Warsaw, 1998, cat. rais no. 285, p. 54.

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36. Abstract Composition 1951 Oil on canvas 46.5 x 38 cm

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37. Composition no.21 c.1950 Oil on artist’s board 26 x 31 cm

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38. Abstract Composition c.1950 Gouache 47.5 x 60.5 cm

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39. Geometric Composition c.1952 Coloured chalk 65 x 33.5 cm

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CHRONOLOGY and EXHIBITIONS 1906 1914-20 1931-36 1932-37 1937 1939 1940 1941 1944-46 1946

1947 1948-56 1951 1952 1953 1957 1958 1963 1966 1968 1966-68 1969 1978 1983 1988 1990 1991 1992 1995 1997 1998 2001 2004 2006 2008 2010

Born in Sosnowiec, Poland, on 16th June.

Spent his childhood and youth moving around Russia, as his family escaped from the advancing German forces and subsequently had to hide from the Communists.

Studied painting at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Art. Met Jewish painter Lutka Pink.

Exhibited at Loza Wolnomalarska (Lodge of Free Painters).

Won a State Scholarship to Italy and Paris.

Settled with Lutka Pink in Paris.

Married Lutka Pink.

Volunteered for the Polish Army in France.

After France signed the Armistice with Germany, the Polish army was disbanded and all Polish soldiers were advised to make their way to the South of France or Spain.

Caziel and Lutka were sheltered by Blaise Cendrars in Aix-en-Provence before being moved by the French Resitance to the Auvergne.

Caziel and Lutka moved back to Aix-en-Provence.

Caziel and Lutka moved back to Paris. Despite being promised important teaching posts as well as state sponsorship for his work by the Polish authorities, Caziel chose to stay in Paris, to protect Lutka from the shock of having to return to the country where she lost all her relatives in Auschwitz.

Designed the Polish Pavilion for UNESCO International Exhibition of Modern Art. First one-man show at Galerie Allard, Paris.

Met Picasso with whom he developed a long friendship.

Exhibited annually at the “Salon de Mai” in Paris.

The Musée National d’Art Moderne purchased one of his monumental canvasses.

Fell in love with the Scottish painter Catherine Sinclair. Together they moved to Ponthévrard, just outside Paris.

The Vatican commissioned four large paintings for their Museum of Modern Religious Art. Designed frescoes for French architect Jean Ginsberg.

Married Catherine Sinclair.

Catherine and Caziel’s daughter Clementina was born.

Exterior design for a fresco for the Atomic Energy Commission at Tollemache House, Thurso.

First one-man show in London hosted by the Grabowski Gallery.

Second one-man show at the Grabowski Gallery, London.

Exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, London.

Moved his family from Ponthévrard to Somerset, England.

Exhibited at the National Museum, Warsaw – Circle of Tadeusz Pruszkowski.

Exhibited works on paper at the Summer Exhibition at Fair Maids House Gallery, Perth.

Died in Somerset.

Memorial Exhibition at the Polish Cultural Institute, London.

Exhibition at the Butlin Gallery, Dillington House College, Ilminster, Somerset.

Exhibition of works from 1945 – 1988 at the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol.

Exhibition Caziel: Substance and Light, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Exhibition Caziel: Drawings from the Forties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Exhibition Caziel: Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Retrospective Exhibition at the National Museum, Warsaw.

Exhibition Contour and Line: Selection of Works on Paper from 1965, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Exhibition Caziel: Abstraction 1963 – 1967, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Retrospective Exhibition at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, London.

Centenary Retrospective Exhibition, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Exhibition Caziel: ‘Je suis abstrait’ - Works from the Fifties, Whitford Fine Art, London.

Exhibition Caziel: Drawings and Watercolours 1935 – 1952, Whitford Fine Art, London.

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WORKS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

Composition 8 June Composition 09.51 Abstract Composition Composition in Blue and Black Composition "Cobra" Composition "Cobra" Architectonic Composition Composition 4.06.1955 Composition 51 Oval Composition Abstract Composition Composition with Moon Composition 54.XI Composition no.30 Architectonic Composition Abstract Composition Architectonic Composition Composition May 50 Abstract Composition Architectonic Composition Composition "Cobra" Composition 50 Composition 51.IX Geometric Composition Composition "Cobra" Composition "Cobra" Composition no.3 Composition Abstract Composition Architectonic Composition Architectonic Composition Abstract Composition Geometric Composition Abstract Composition Geometric Composition Abstract Composition Composition no.21 Abstract Composition Geometric Composition

All works come from the Estate of Caziel and are signed or have the Studio stamp

Š Whitford Fine Art Edited by An Jo Fermon Curated by Gabriel Toso Produced by Artmedia Press Ltd • London

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CAZIEL A R T

6 DUKE STREET ST. JAMES’S LO N D O N S W 1 Y 6 B N TEL.+44(0)20 7930 9332 info@whitfordfineart.com w w w. w h i t f o r d f i n e a r t . c o m

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