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1905 - 1982

Felix Labisse

description

A French surrealist – painter, graphic artist, a master of art illustration and theatre design, a director and author of scripts and other literary works. Felix Labisse, who was born in France, worked with James Ensor in Belgium at the beginning.

After moving to Paris in 1927, the 22-year-old artist immediately became close to the elite of French culture, including representatives of the theater and literature. His friends Paul Eluard, Philippe Soupault, Robert Desnos, Jacques Prévert and Jean-Louis Barrault wrote poems, articles, essays and monographs about the artist.

From the beginning of 1940s, the artist became one of the largest figures of the new French art and devoted much creative power to not only painting, but also illustrations (his largest projects are 30 paintings to the “Natural History” and design for the book of Baudelaire’s poems) and set design. The master created costumes and scenery for 60 plays; in particular, he was the one who created decorations for the “Process” by Kafka, which was staged by great French director Jean-Louis Barrot.

The works of Felix Labisse are exhibited not only at the main museums of France, but also at galleries of Belgium and at the P. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the USA. However, most of the works are in private collections and are popular at international art auctions.

Key ideas:

– The first creations of Felix Labisse were influenced by Flemish Expressionism and the work of J. Ensor, a native of the Belgian city of Oostende, who loved symbols, modernism techniques in depicting peasants, cohorts of warriors, dwarves and masks. All these motifs are present in the early art of Labisse.

– After arriving to Paris, the 22-year-old artist quickly learned the innovations and started working under the sign of various metamorphoses. Exploring the boundaries of fantasy, magic, esoteric rituals and eroticism, the artist came to feminine characters with seductive bodies – their flowing forms were painted in a smooth manner. Plots of paintings also had strange mood, often a theatrical and timeless world.

– In the early 1960s, the first blue women of the artist appeared, contributing to his fame. Smooth and thin figures of ancient heroines and historical characters have a smooth color from pale blue and turquoise to dark blue.

– The artist did not always avoid surrealistic clichés and used images of spilling blood, flights, cluttering up figures and incomprehensible objects, as well as scenes with crazy ceremonies. A certain sense of humor and naked penchant for eroticism dominate in his paintings.

– As a talented set designer, who designed more than 60 productions, Felix Labisse felt the need to reunite with dancers and actors, and even with the machinists of the stage. All his costumes and decorations organically complemented the text of the script. His stage design is not a framework limiting the action, but the materialization of each episode.

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1905

1922

1928

1930

1932

1938

1944

1945

1954

1956

1959

1964

1969

1982

The birth of the artist

Felix Labisse was born into the family of a miller who changed his profession into fishing. He spent his childhood in Douai, which was bombed during the war of 1914-1918. Then the family lived in Belgium.

He attended the Sea Fisheries School at the Oostende

He attended the Sea Fisheries School at the Oostende; his landmark meeting with James Ensor took place. The artist was drafted into the army, served 18 months in Cambrai.

Felix abandoned his career as a sailor

One year after Felix abandoned his career as a sailor, he decided to devote himself to painting and joined J. Ensor, K. Permeke, L. Spilart and other avant-garde artists. Presented his first solo exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art; the artist’s sister Ninette helped him organize it.

"Tribord"

Founded the literary and art magazine “Tribord” together with Henry Van Vyve, participated in the creation of the script and the shooting of Stork’s film “Death of Venus.” He began a series of portraits of writers at the Corman bookstore in Ostend. A year later, he created scenery at the Royal Theater of Brussels.

Started to live in Paris permanently

Started to live in Paris permanently. There he met Andre Masson and other Surrealists. At the same time, he designed exhibits for the Studio Gallery in Ostend.

His personal opening day was held at the Art Palace in Brussels

Met Max Ernst, Rene Magritte, and Paul Delvaux. His personal opening day was held at the Art Palace in Brussels. He met Joni Herlin, his future wife and muse. The following year he was mobilized and served in a camouflage company.

“The Troubles of War"

Returning to France in 1940, he worked a lot in Paris (rented Ray’s workshop at Montparnasse) and in Provence. In particular, he created the cycle “The Troubles of War” and the famous painting “Happiness to be loved”. Participated in the exhibition “Poetic Morning” at the Paris Salon Tuileries and at the first post-war Paris Salons. The monograph of K. Dotremont, devoted to the work of Labisse, was published.

Participated in the exhibition "Surrealism" at the Gallery of publications La Boétie in Brussels

Participated in the exhibition “Surrealism” at the Gallery of publications La Boétie in Brussels, created 30 drawings to the “Natural History” (published in 1949). A year later, he exhibited his works at Salon de Mai, worked on set design, and represented “Charlotte Corday” at the Salon d’Automne. Alain Resnais dedicated a short film to the artist.

“Fantastic Art”

Participated in the Venice Biennale in the section “Fantastic Art”.

Arranged a retrospective of Salvador Dali at the casino Knokke.

Arranged, together with J. de Vliger, a retrospective of Salvador Dali at the casino Knokke.

He was appointed curator of the Biennale in São Paulo

During his third trip to Brazil, he was appointed curator of the Biennale in São Paulo. The artist’s retrospective at Knokke took place in 1960. Henri Stork dedicated two films to Labis – “The Hardships of War” and “The Happiness that Should Be Loved”, which appeared on screens in 1961.

The first "blue women"

The first “blue women” appeared in his works, created in the nude and portrait genres. Participated in the exhibition “Surrealism”, organized by P. Waldberg at the gallery Charpentier in Paris. A year later, there was his personal opening day at the Galerie “Europe”. He was elected to the Academy of Arts.

Was a member of the jury of the Cannes Film Festival

After the Treasure of Surrealism exhibition at Knokke, his retrospective was held at the Palace of the Arts in Charleroi. In the future, the artist exhibited his paintings, in addition to galleries in Paris and other cities in France, in Brussels, Rotterdam, Ostend, and was a member of the jury of the Cannes Film Festival (1974). His last exhibition with the “Secrets of Isis” was held in 1980.