François Morellet FRENCH, 1926-2016

François Morellet embraced impersonal, geometric forms and a sense of detachment throughout his multidisciplinary practice. He made paintings, sculptures, neon works, and installations underpinned by an appreciation for systems-based approaches to artmaking. Grids and patterns pervade his oeuvre. With artists including Julio Le Parc, Morellet co-founded the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (GRAV), which focused on actively engaging viewers through immersive, multisensory installations. GRAV was active from 1961–68. Morellet attempted to dismantle notions of the “lone genius” artist throughout collaborative practice. His work has been exhibited in New York, Paris, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Seoul, and Amsterdam and belongs in the collections of the Centre Pompidou, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. His work has sold for six figures at auction.