Claude Viallat is known for his vibrant and repetitive abstract painting.
Read MoreThe artist's distinctive signature style incorporates bright colours and a repeated rectangular 'bone' shape painted onto draped canvas, fabric samples, and tarpaulin. Of the French artists in the Supports/Surfaces movement, Viallat gained the most exposure internationally, especially in the United States.
Alongside artists such as Vincent Bioulès and Daniel Dezeuze, Viallat is considered one of the founders of the Supports/Surfaces movement, which originated in France in the late 1960s and early 70s. The movement was critical of the art school system in France and wanted to expand the practice of painting beyond the traditional stretched canvas and paint. A fundamental tenet of the Supports/Surfaces movement was the idea that the practice of painting must also, to some degree, be accompanied by theory and critical thinking.
Viallat creates paintings that are freed from the limitations of the stretcher and the canvas. His 1972 work 1972/007 is an early step in moving away from stretched canvas. The work is simply a sheet of fabric dyed with Viallat's signature repeated nugget shape. Similarly, 1982/003 (1982) is painted on a large section of tarpaulin.
In his more recent work, Viallat has further expanded his use of materials while maintaining his signature repeated shape. He has created works using burlap, rugs, handkerchiefs, parasols, tents, and parachutes. These diverse textured materials have prompted Viallat to pay closer attention to their material nature. His mark-making technique has also expanded to include stains, holes, and patches. His work 2018/060 is comprised of eight pieces of attached fabric. This technique allows greater flexibility for Viallat to explore not only the textural elements of the work but also the shape that the painting takes on the wall.
In 2010, Viallat created several works in collaboration with major fashion houses. He created a line of boots for Sergio Rossi and a series of designs for the iconic silk scarves of Hermès.
