From the series ‘Lieux abrégés’ (abridged places), this work comes directly after ‘L'Hourloupe’ (1963–74), in which white, black, blue and red dominated, with forms divided by strong contours. Here, the return of pale pink and yellow promotes a more spontaneous, intuitive way of working. The four figures are rendered at a distorted scale, as though seen from an entirely different perspective to the site they supposedly occupy. One is suspended and enclosed within its own frame, creating a sense of displacement which recurs throughout the whole series. The figures’ expressions and gestures remain deliberately generalised, resisting any specific likeness, creating psychological landscapes that defy literal representation.
