François Morellet Now Represented by Lévy Gorvy in the U.S.

December 1, 2017

Dominique Lévy and Brett Gorvy, co-founders of Lévy Gorvy, are thrilled to announce that the gallery will exclusively represent the estate of French artist François Morellet (1926–2016) in the United States. Morellet, who spent his life and career in Cholet, France, was among the earliest postwar artists to embrace geometric abstraction. Never formally trained, he relied on a reduced vocabulary of lines, grids, and simple shapes such as circles, triangles, and squares. Insisting that “art is frivolous even when it takes itself seriously,” his work infused rigorous abstraction with a sense of playful irreverence and unpretentious humor. Balancing structure and spontaneity, he adopted mathematical systems and chance procedures to diminish his subjectivity from his art. Working with a wide variety of materials, many of which he was among the first to employ, such as steel, neon tubes, iron, tape, wire mesh, and wood, he strove to produce an art that was accessible to all, unencumbered by messages and meanings beyond its immediate existence.

“We are honored to work with the Morellet family, who have entrusted us with the legacy of François Morellet, a true pioneer,” said Dominique Lévy. “Morellet took risks throughout his career. Bold and experimental, he was ahead of the curve in so many ways, exploring different materials in his painting, sculpture, and light-based work.”

On behalf of the estate of François Morellet, the artist’s son Friquet Morellet commented: “Our decision to collaborate with Lévy Gorvy is exciting to us. Representation of this caliber will strengthen my father’s legacy in the United States and beyond. We were particularly inspired by the passion and energy with which Dominique and Brett represent artists, and we look forward to upcoming projects with the gallery, which will offer global exposure.”

Learn more about François Morellet

Image: François Morellet in front of Sens Dessus Dessous, a mural that was commissioned by the French Government and Public Art Fund in honor of the Centennial of the Statue of Liberty. The mural was on view at Reade Street in New York City, June 1, 1986 – June 30, 1991. Photo courtesy the Estate of François Morellet.

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PRESS CONTACTS
Michelle Perlin, Director of Communications, michelle@levygorvy.com
Andrea Schwan, Andrea Schwan Inc., info@andreaschwan.com
Sam Talbot, SUTTON, sam@suttonpr.com