Mannequinerie en solde 1978

Jean Helion made "Mannequinerie en solde" with paint on canvas. I just love the colour palette! Helion uses a slightly muted array of tones, like an old advert, the kind that fades in the sun. It's a playful approach, that's almost naive, as if he's rediscovering painting for the first time! The material qualities are interesting here, the paint isn't too thick, allowing for a certain luminosity. Helion's brushstrokes are clearly visible, lending a dynamic quality to the piece. Look at the turquoise patch behind the left-hand figure, the way he blends this with the pale grey behind to construct a loose and immediate sense of space. It's like he's building up the image one area at a time. There's a clear connection between this work and the paintings of Fernand Léger, both artists share a preoccupation with similar subject matter, the urban environment, and the human figure. Ultimately, it's this sense of conversation and shared exploration that makes painting such an enduring medium.