Tableau clous 1969

This Tableau clous by Bernard Aubertin is giving me a real sensory overload. Can you imagine the repetition involved in hammering all those nails? It's a solid block of red, but up close you notice the heads of each nail, a kind of aggressive texture covering the whole surface. I can almost feel the artist’s focused energy as he methodically placed each one. That flat, unapologetic red really grabs you; it's like a physical presence, demanding attention. Aubertin was part of a group of artists who worked with monochrome, so I wonder if he was thinking about Yves Klein, who patented his own blue. I wonder if Aubertin felt any pressure to find a new color, and if that is what led to the nails? Artists are always bouncing ideas off each other. This tableau is a reminder that paintings aren't just pictures; they're objects loaded with intention, labor, and feeling. It offers us a way to see and experience the world through another’s touch.