Le Choc de la couleur

Vincent Bioulès: Le Choc de la couleur

Galerie La Forest Divonne is pleased to present Le Choc de la couleur, a major solo exhibition by Vincent Bioulès, created for the second edition of RendezVous – Brussels Art Week. The exhibition brings together around twenty recent paintings in which the artist’s use of color appears with complete freedom and strength.

The power of large scale and the intensity of the studio

The exhibition is built around six very large paintings, created in the quiet of the artist’s studio in the south of France. Their striking beauty creates a powerful visual impact. In front of these works, viewers are immediately struck by the scale and the raw force of nature. Far from a typical postcard image of the South of France, Bioulès’ Pic Saint-Loup appears almost mythological in its presence. Le Port de Carnon is shown burning under the summer heat, filled with strong reds, oranges, and yellows, broken only by touches of blue and green from the water.

A dialogue between landscapes and monumental bouquets

Alongside these natural landscapes — including the impressive Étang de l’Or — the exhibition also presents large floral still lifes built with bold colors and strong contrasts. Because of their scale, these still lifes feel like landscapes in their own right. The line between table and wall becomes like a horizon line, while the bouquets spread outward like the branches of majestic trees, with flowers appearing as clusters of pure color.The richness and decorative abundance of these works are reminiscent of the compositions of Gustav Klimt. At the base of the vase, the presence of an envelope, a feather, and an ink bottle brings life to the table setting, symbolically turning these bouquets into the expression of an intimate message.

The freedom and boldness of an 88-year-old master

Vincent Bioulès, a key founder of the Supports/Surfaces movement, shows he has kept his pioneering spirit. At 88, he demonstrates full mastery of painting while still taking bold creative risks.In the large painting Étang de l’Or, filled with yellow, purple, and green, the big cloud is left unpainted so the white canvas shows through. It is lightly drawn with soft charcoal lines. This bold choice brings freshness and movement to an otherwise very structured painting.

Le Choc de la couleur celebrates a major artist at the peak of his work, who continues to innovate, create, and surprise.