Toiles à l’unité/Légendes 1985

Claude Rutault’s ‘Toiles à l’unité/Légendes’ is an installation, which means that the paintings themselves are only part of the story. The works act like individual units in a system, where the walls they hang on are just as important. The paintings are created by matching the canvas’s colour to that of the wall on which it's hung. It's like camouflage. The texture, colour, and surface all sort of blend, and you might start to wonder if the paintings are even there at all. I find myself squinting, trying to see the edges, the brushstrokes, any little detail that sets them apart. This act of mimicry has a conceptual side. It’s almost like Rutault is saying, "Hey, let's rethink what a painting can be. Is it an object, or is it more of a conversation with its surroundings?" It reminds me a little of Robert Ryman. Both artists are playing with the idea of reduction, of taking painting down to its barest bones. They show us that sometimes, less really is more. Art is an ongoing conversation, full of questions and possibilities.