Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/864837
5 ent moments. Each form has a vital energy that affects the tension, balance and harmony of a composition. The closed contours of a triangle cause disruption as they clash and splinter, while the continuous outline of a circle suggests serene infinity. Floating within a framework of colour, these shapes appear to tumble, collide and disappear. This sense of dynamism and animation in Claisse's arrangement of shape resonates with Alexander Calder and other Kinetic artists of the period. Much like the movement of Calder's hanging mobiles and gouaches inspired by the cosmos, Claisse's forms adopt a lively rhythm. Experimenting with the quality of line, Claisse has also turned her attention to the dichotomy between the eternal and the void through intervals of empty space. Claisse is an extraordinary and individual colourist. Her deep, saturated palette carefully relates to the feeling of each line and form, forging a connection between colour and shape that can be both melodious and divisive. She explains, 'if I don't feel the colour, the drawing will never become a painting. Colour is what brings the work to life'. Even though vibrant shades are at the heart of Claisse's oeuvre, she has also embraced the simple dialogue between black and white. Far from seeing these tones as the absence of colour, Claisse is alert to the vital emotion created by black and white. Honoured with her first museum show at the Musée de Montréal in 1966, Claisse has continued to exhibit internationally for over fifty years. Most notably Claisse has been the subject of major exhibitions at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Caracas; Musée Matisse du Cateau-Cambrésis and Musée de Cambrai. Her work can now be found in public collections around the world, including Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington and UNESCO, Paris. While Claisse's powerful voice as an artist has established her reputation as a leader of European abstraction, she has remained relatively unknown in the UK. Following groups shows at established London galleries including Hanover, Redfern and the Royal Academy, this is the first time her work is presented in a standalone exhibition. To mark this event, Claisse has selected a broad spectrum of paintings, drawings and sculpture from across her career to give a complete overview of one of the most important abstract artists working today. Image: Ho, 1973. Acrylic on canvas. 19 3 / 4 x 19 3 / 4 in, 50 x 50 cm