57. Galaxy [1959]

The transition from conventional to deeply abstract painting is made in the context of the artist's cultural climate change, in 1946. Following the award he won at the Official Salon in 1942, and with the aid of painter Jean Alexandru Steriadi, who was a deep believer in the young artist's creative force, Horia Damian leaves the Romanian territory, leaving behind his artistic manner he had approached in the country. Therefore, his exit from the national space also represents an exit of the artist's work from everyday life. In Paris, Damian's new approach wins the admiration of some important personalities of the international art scene, amongst which Yves Klein or Salvador Dali. The artist would learn how to use painting as a discourse for decoding the mysteries of human destiny and would take over the role of guide in the attempt to drawing the public's attention towards the things he considers essential. Therefore, he would accomplish the starry skies series, which enjoyed a real success within some important international galleries and museums. His utopic universes, full of mysteries, represented the focal point of cosmogonic cycles, streaked by small, white and shiny dots in an endless juxtaposition, creating that depth that is so characteristic to Damian's work. The current creation is one of the first works opening the large constellations series. The artist uses elements that he had often included in his experiments from the previous decade and works mainly in relief. Therefore, one can distinguish his desire to accomplish a work as immersive as possible.

References

Catalogue of the exhibition "Horia Damian", National Museum of Contemporary Art, September-October 2009. VARIA, Radu, "Horia Damian. Opere din muzeele și colecțiile românești, 1930-1946" ("Horia Damian. Works from Romanian museums and collections, 1930-1946"), Official Journal Publishing House, Bucharest, 2009.

Dimensions

width 220 cm, height 170 cm, custom 170 × 220 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed and dated bottom right, in red, "DAMIAN, (19)59"

Dating

1959

PROVENANCE

colecția Philippe Dotremont, Bruxelles; colecție privată, Paris

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