Laissée 1994

Simon Hantai created Laissée using an innovative approach to painting where he folded and crumpled the canvas, painting over it, and then unfolding it to reveal a pattern of abstract shapes. These shapes, born from a unique method, evoke a sense of the primeval, reminding us of inkblots or geological formations. Think of Rorschach tests, where amorphous forms trigger deep, subconscious associations, or Leonardo’s advice to artists to find inspiration in stains on walls. The black and white, the void and the light, speak of creation and destruction. It is a dance, a push and pull, where chance and control intertwine. This is not just about the image, but about the process—the action of concealing and revealing, a continuous cycle of transformation. Like the ouroboros, the serpent eating its own tail, this work embodies the cyclical nature of existence, resonating in the depths of our collective memory.