Date : 2004
Support : Painting
Size : 130 x 175 cm
Acrylic and resin on canvas. © ADAGP.
In Synchronia, Bernard Frize superimposes two “acts” of paint, rather than two coats. The first is the representation of the subject, the search for purely pictorial content. The second is used to cover the first under a grey veil, only letting through circles of the original coat.
When you take a look at this work, the first thing you will notice is that it is abstract.
It is true that Bernard Frize rejects narration. He rules out anything that is superfluous. Pretty aesthetic and stylistic effects leave way for strict neutrality. He eliminates any affected or sensitive style and takes a step back to allow the paintbrush to paint its own picture.
Let’s take a look at how it is done.
What is the first thing you see? A graduated grey background and fifteen coloured disks. But which was painted first? You might think that the disks were painted on the layer of grey making up the background. But in fact, the opposite is true. The painter pours the paint over the canvas and then tilts it to give it shape. Once this layer has dried, he paints a second predominantly grey coat with shadings of pastel colours. Fifteen circles have been left unpainted allowing the real background to be seen.
The eye is drawn into a visual labyrinth of overlapping colours. The disks are joined to one another, the larger ones at the edges, and the colour beneath providing a lively foundation.
Bernard Frize has created a sumptuous journey across the smooth, almost sensual surface produced by the mixture of resin and paint. More importantly, the artist allows the viewer great freedom to interpret the work as he chooses as it new and without history.
