Bombardement 129 - Les Pantalons et la Chemis 1971

This is Bombardement 129 - Les Pantalons et la Chemise, a painting by Francois Arnal. It’s hard to pin down exactly when, but the stark contrast of black and white makes me think of old photographs, or maybe even an x-ray. The ghostly shapes of the shirt and trousers almost float against the dark background. There’s a real softness to the edges, like they’re dissolving into the darkness. It’s as if Arnal captured a fleeting moment, a memory fading at the edges. And then there’s that small metal hinge, so precise and solid against the ethereal clothing. That hinge makes me think of the hinges that hold everything together and reminds me of Robert Rauschenberg who used found objects to create visual poetry. Arnal leaves us with questions, not answers, embracing the ambiguity that makes art so endlessly fascinating.