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Soulages takes us on a journey through the career of French abstract painter Pierre Soulages, the famous “painter of black”.

The exhibition is like an exercise in minimalism. Soulage’s large scale compositions are themselves minimal: all abstract and untitled. On top of that, the trajectory shows the “evolution” of his work, which is so subtle as to be almost imperceptible (it goes from black to black).

But when your eyes become accustomed to the stripped down aesthetic on offer, there is plenty to see. For Soulages black is not just the negation of colour, it’s a basis for working with texture and light. A large area of matt black arrests the eye at the painting’s surface, while streaks of shiny black create depth and movement. Light plays a particularly important role – Soulages coined the term outrenoir (“beyond black”) to describe the way light can transform black into something more vibrant and luminous.

Failing any willingness to comply with art blurb, the stark black and white surroundings are still refreshing compared with the grisly blue-grey of Paris in January.

Soulages is on at the Pompidou Centre until 08/03/10

Filed under: contemporary, painting by