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Lot Essay
Le Vent is an arresting example of Vieira da Silva's investigations into spatial and existential representation. Executed in 1953 this was the year that Vieira da Silva won the Sao Paulo Biennale; a prize which recognised her contribution to art over her exile in Brazil. Following the liberation, Vieira da Silva moved to Paris where she completed the painting, opening up the closed architectural spaces of her earlier works. Le Vent assembles a mixture of colourful rectangular forms, dominated by a spectrum of inky blues and greys. A web of dark lines spiral as if by the wind, into a core vanishing point. Other lines extend laterally and horizontally encouraging the eye to wander across a disorientating choice of paths. Here the artist multiplies the spatial perspectives to create a new diversity, expressing the bewilderment and lack of orientation evident in post War Europe. Speaking to historian José Augusto França in 1963, Vieira da Silva explained: 'Nowadays, we live as if we were nailed to the cross of perspective' (quoted in G. Rosenthal, Vieira da Silva 1908-1992: The Quest for Unknown Space, Cologne, 1998, p.54).
Vieira da Silva remained deeply wed to questions of perspective, although at odds with the prevailing artistic concerns of the time. Whilst parallels have been drawn with the Abstract Expressionists and Lyrical Abstractionists, Vieira da Silva's careful balance between inspiration, control and spontaneity make her practice unique. Wols who was a great admirer of her work, once asked her why, when contemporary painting tended to become stabilized in surface effects, she reintroduced perspective. Vieira da Silva replied that it was because of this lack of interest that she continued. Perspective captivated the artist's imagination.
Le Vent forms part of a tradition in Vieira da Silva's work; indeed her entire oeuvre developed with a sort of internal unity. The artist herself emphasised this relationship suggesting: 'ever since my youth, themes have been recurring, albeit with some differences. It is true that there is no progress; sometimes, however we achieve a state of grace'. (quoted in G. Rosenthal, Vieira da Silva 1908-1992: The Quest for Unknown Space, Cologne, 1998, p.55). Le Vent represents an important part of this project and a beautiful example of her mastery.
Vieira da Silva remained deeply wed to questions of perspective, although at odds with the prevailing artistic concerns of the time. Whilst parallels have been drawn with the Abstract Expressionists and Lyrical Abstractionists, Vieira da Silva's careful balance between inspiration, control and spontaneity make her practice unique. Wols who was a great admirer of her work, once asked her why, when contemporary painting tended to become stabilized in surface effects, she reintroduced perspective. Vieira da Silva replied that it was because of this lack of interest that she continued. Perspective captivated the artist's imagination.
Le Vent forms part of a tradition in Vieira da Silva's work; indeed her entire oeuvre developed with a sort of internal unity. The artist herself emphasised this relationship suggesting: 'ever since my youth, themes have been recurring, albeit with some differences. It is true that there is no progress; sometimes, however we achieve a state of grace'. (quoted in G. Rosenthal, Vieira da Silva 1908-1992: The Quest for Unknown Space, Cologne, 1998, p.55). Le Vent represents an important part of this project and a beautiful example of her mastery.