Pierre Soulages in New York

Opera Gallery New York is thrilled to present a solo exhibition honoring French artist Pierre Soulages, showcasing a curated selection of important paintings by the artist from the post-war period to present day. Soulages’ decades spanning career is a testament to the force and power of his artistic practice.

Born in Rodez in southern France in 1919, young Soulages was drawn to powerful expressions of humanity. First inspired by the region’s menhirs, which are carved standing stones dating to the late Neolithic era, he later decided to become a painter while standing beneath the barrel vault ceiling of the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy de Conques, France, watching light and shadow come to life. The 20,000 year old cave paintings found nearby were also a point of inspiration. Notably, his color palette has scarcely deviated from the rich, elemental reds, blacks and ochres used by the ancient artists who worked in the darkness of the caves.

We invite visitors to immerse themselves in the world of Pierre Soulages, where a myriad of influences culminates into an instinctive, radical, and immersive body of work. Soulages approaches each new painting as the advancement of his investigations of depth and light, thus giving substance to the unreal and unique light emanating from each.