Delta 1992

Gilles Aillaud made this painting, Delta, with oil on canvas. At first glance, this unassuming landscape might not strike you as a political statement, but Aillaud was deeply concerned with the state of the world and the role of art within it. Born in France in 1928, Aillaud was a committed socialist. He would become known for his paintings of animals in zoos, a theme through which he explored the concepts of captivity and freedom. Here, we see a flat, seemingly empty landscape, the horizon dividing the composition in half. The title, "Delta," suggests a river delta, a place of transition and change. In the 20th century, the idea of landscape became a common scene in social and political commentary, with many artists using the natural world to critique industrialisation. Aillaud's artistic choices were deliberate and laden with meaning. Understanding his work requires a close examination of the social and political context in which he was working. To understand the cultural context, we might look to the archives of socialist movements in post-war France, and his connection to artistic institutions that supported politically engaged art.