If the innovations Serge Poliakoff brought to modern painting are numerous—a rigorous composition in abstraction, an inseparability of forms, and a melodious harmony in painting—the impact he had on his contemporaries is even deeper. Exhibiting Serge Poliakoff without including this Parisian generation would offer an incomplete perspective on his work. Poliakoff’s universe is inherently Parisian: it was in Paris that he claimed to have been “born a painter,” alongside a generation of artists who pushed the boundaries of abstraction.
To contextualize Poliakoff’s painting, one must consider the rise of abstract art. His contemporaries immediately recognized his talent, and through his encounters, particularly with Kandinsky, Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Poliakoff’s practice became more refined. These exchanges enriched his pursuit of harmony and simplicity in color and form.
Alongside him, other iconic figures of this Parisian generation also shaped modern art: Hans Hartung, with his powerful gestures and exploration of movement; Vieira da Silva, who reinvented pictorial space with her colorful labyrinths; Fernand Léger, whose architectural vision of forms influenced a more structured abstraction; and Nicolas de Staël, a master of abstraction on the border of figuration, sharing with Poliakoff a common pursuit of chromatic intensity.
HELENE BAILLY gallery is proud to showcase major works by Poliakoff—such as the one featured in the poster for the retrospective dedicated to him by the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris in 2013-2014—testaments to his genius as a colorist and his unique approach to abstract form, alongside a Parisian generation that contributed to the rare perseverance of his chromatic explorations and created equally avant-garde works.
This exhibition highlights the richness of a generation that, amidst the vibrant energy of Paris, redefined the codes of modern art.
