At the Centre Pompidou in Paris, a legend of the French pop art scene is being honored from May 14 until September 22, 2014. During this time, a retrospective dedicated to the artist Martial Raysse brings together 200 works from the artist, who was a pioneer in the New Realism (Nouveau Réalisme) art movement. Raysse was also the most pop-influenced member of that movement, emphasizing color and light in a way that ensures his retrospective is an exciting one.
Unlike most art exhibitions, the Raysse exhibit does not feature a single descriptive or explicative text. Gone are the little white plaques that one usually observes affixed next to artistic works in museums. Equally absent are the thematic or chronological divisions that normally separate exhibits into different sections.
Instead, visitors are encouraged to wander through the exhibit as they please, making their own interpretations of the Raysse pieces presented. Without explanations or an organized path, the Centre Pompidou does not impose a perspective onto the exhibition. Instead, the visitor is free to craft his or her own experience.
Born in 1936, Raysse was originally a writer and a poet. Although he became famous for his artwork, he continued to write throughout his life, even into old age. In his retrospective, however, his works are not limited to paper. In fact, the works jump out at the spectators, inviting them into the fluorescent, modern world of the pop artist. In addition to paintings, sculptures and 3D installations, the exhibit also features video, providing a complete multimedia experience.
Guests staying at the Hôtel Louvre Marsollier can therefore relive the spirit, freedom and excitement of the mid-century pop art movement by visiting the Centre Pompidou during their spring or summer stay in Paris.