Laissée 1995

Simon Hantai made this artwork, Laissée, by using the technique of pliage, in which he crumpled and folded the canvas before painting, so that the resulting image emerges through a combination of intention and chance. Looking at the left side of the canvas, you can see the deep indigo ink has settled into the creases and folds, creating a textured surface, while the right remains untouched, adding to the work’s inherent dynamism. It's as if the piece is caught in a moment of unfolding. The dark, intense blue is striking, but it is the blank space of the canvas that really brings the image into relief. It's like looking at a photographic negative, where the absence of color defines the forms. Hantai’s process reminds me of the automatist techniques used by Surrealists like André Masson. Both tapped into the subconscious to let the work make itself. Ultimately, Laissée invites us to consider art as a dance between control and surrender, where the artist sets the stage, but the medium has its say.