Vertical rouge 1959

Aurélie Nemours made this striking oil on canvas, ‘Vertical Rouge’, sometime in the latter half of the 20th century. Nemours was a key figure in the development of geometric abstraction, a movement that sought to reduce art to its most essential elements. Her work compels us to ask: what is the public role of such an image? Devoid of recognizable forms, does it offer any social commentary? The image's power lies in its formal simplicity: two yellow rectangles hover above a solid red base, bisected by a vertical red band. It’s a composition of pure color and line, reminiscent of the De Stijl movement and the Bauhaus school, both of which sought to create a universal visual language. Nemours challenges traditional art institutions by stripping away narrative and representation, forcing viewers to confront the fundamental elements of art itself. Understanding Nemours's work requires us to delve into the history of abstraction and its relationship to social and political movements. Art historical texts, artist's statements, and critical essays can help us to explore the meaning of art as something contingent on its social and institutional context.