Geneviève Claisse

Geneviève Claisse (1935-2018) is an emblematic figure of geometric abstraction. She came into contact with geometric abstraction through art magazines such as Art d’aujourd’hui, which celebrated the avant-garde pictorial movements of the time.
Fascinated by Herbin’s theories, she was still unaware that he was her great-uncle. It was only at the age of 18 that she met him at Cateau-Cambrésis. After discovering his work, Herbin encouraged her to persevere in this path. In 1958, she organized her first exhibition in Paris and Cambrai. The following year, she settled permanently in Paris, where she became her great-uncle’s assistant while continuing her artistic research. She shared her studio with him for a year.
In 1960, she participated in the Salon de Mai, and the following year, she joined the Denise René gallery, which presented her works in Paris, New York and in various international fairs. Geneviève Claisse exhibited in Copenhagen, London, Paris, Tel Aviv and many other cities around the world.
The 1960s were particularly creative for the artist. In 1966, she created series around the circle and the triangle, which she continued for a decade. This research would lead to some of her most striking works, exhibited around the world.
In 1971, Geneviève Claisse opened a second studio in Écluzelles. The 1970s saw her participate in renowned fairs and exhibit in New York, Paris, Amsterdam and Basel. This period was marked by a return to rectilinear forms, particularly in the ADN series, where she deepened her research on colorimetry. In the early 1980s, her work focused on the line, which she explored in various shapes, sizes and directions. Her works sometimes take on a kinetic dimension, where the lines interact and create a sensation of movement.