Obliquement et a travers 1946

Curator: Oh, my, this one practically vibrates! Looking at Huguette Arthur Bertrand’s “Obliquement et a travers” from 1946—French for "Obliquely and Through"—I'm swept away by its sheer energy. Editor: It certainly makes a strong statement. I’d describe its mood as intense. It feels like an explosion caught mid-blast, a whirlwind of earthy tones battling stormy greys. Given it's Art Informel style and dated from just after the war, I immediately wonder how socio-political tensions influenced this painting. Curator: Yes, an explosion inwards, maybe? The canvas itself, soaked with oil, becomes a record of this internal struggle. It is as though she captured what's not clearly seen—sensed, rather—but profoundly there all the same, oblique hints, little explosions of insight coming through... Editor: Intriguing. The title certainly points to that notion of "through" something. Her engagement with the canvas – layering and scratching, I presume – really exemplifies matter painting, right? How paint becomes almost sculptural, charged with meaning. The context of post-war artistic movements often shows artists searching for new forms of expression that reject pre-war aesthetic conventions. Curator: Precisely! Think about what Bertrand and other Art Informel artists were up against. There's a rejection of form and traditional perspective... In fact, its a dive headfirst into pure gesture. A very instinctual rebellion. It's the visual equivalent of raw emotion! Editor: Yes, it also rejects traditional approaches of representation, questioning not only HOW to depict reality but also WHAT constitutes it after immense trauma and destruction. This work is more than an aesthetic creation, isn't it? Curator: Definitely. For me, its strength isn't just in its historical positioning or its raw texture; it lies in its very human, and flawed, struggle for sense. Looking for light through dark. Finding glimpses through all the chaos. It leaves one feeling less alone, more connected to the beautiful, brutal reality. Editor: I appreciate how this artwork provides a portal into a historical time. We began talking about its intensity and its powerful, material presence— now I walk away pondering not just artistic intent, but societal impact. Thanks for walking me through it. Curator: Thank you! "Obliquement et a travers" always ignites a sense of hopeful turbulence in me, even after all these years. What a gift.