Gérard Schneider. Rhapsody In Blue

About

Perrotin is pleased to present Rhapsody in Blue, the first exhibition of work by Gérard Schneider in the United States in over a halfcentury. Pioneer of Lyrical Abstraction, Schneider’s aesthetic is raw and vibrant, physical and unrestrained, reflecting his intention to translate pure emotion into painting. The works on view will span Schneider’s almost seven decades long career, focusing specifically on the artist’s relationship with the color blue.

Rhapsody in Blue

In 1924, George Gershwin composed Rhapsody in Blue, using a highly innovative approach to music composition.1 Rooted in its time, it incorporated elements of jazz and popular music, effectively conveying the challenges of musical creation and the necessity of staying in touch with the truth and reality of the world.

In a similar manner, Gérard Schneider revolutionized European post-war abstraction two decades later. In 1946, two exhibitions in Paris heralded major upheavals in abstract painting: 1ère exposition de Domela Hartung Schneider at the Salle du centre des recherches de la rue Cujas and Peintures abstraites: Dewasne, Deyrolle, Marie Raymond, Hartung, Schneider at gallery Denise René. These exhibitions propelled a group of young abstract painters to the forefront of the art scene, who quickly made a name for themselves by offering a radically new take on the notion of abstraction.

Schneider was soon regarded as the leader of this so-called “lyrical” abstraction. His first solo exhibition was held at the Lydia Conti gallery in Paris from April 25 to May 17, 1947. Art critics and the art world in general were quick to recognize his work’s international appeal, leading to his first solo museum exhibition in Germany in 1952.2