Page 48 - Studio International - December 1972

Conceptual art is really the opposite of this. There was a moment, around 1963/64, when
There you have between the 'making' and the all that 'plasticity' seemed to me to be
'inspirational' aspects a virtual absolute parti- superfluous, and worse still, something which
pris in favour of the inspiration. The risks are was hindering me from expressing myself freely.
obvious. When Yves Klein exhibited his empty In short, I found accidents of surface and
room in 1958 he became the precursor of colour unnecessary — or necessary only if the
conceptualism — but what a magnetic change you vision, the idea, is not entirely liberated. I think
need for that! many people are better acquainted with the
RV: Thinking about the various periods of freer, more plastic, period in my work. This was
your work — and before the exhibition of your for me a necessary moment, nothing more.
'Grandes Constructions' at the Musée d'Art When I arrived in France from Bucharest in
Moderne in Paris this February — it seems one 1946, I found myself in a very special situation.
period is better known than the others. Not I could not do the same thing any more, and at
the period of those first star-spangled skies of the same time I couldn't do any new painting
1950-51, but a period around the sixties. through lack of opportunities and ideas. I was,
HD: I think I have always done the same thing. in fact, in a state of great crisis, and it took
Maybe it is impossible to do anything but the months before I was able to start work again. Le Champ Jaune 1972
same thing. But the appearance it takes may My encounter with Fernand Léger was
differ since the individuality which we were important because it helped me to abandon the
talking about earlier intervenes and falsifies the complications arising out of the light-object HD: For me Brancusi represents an
result. Individuality is always within time, encounter. The local tone, the pure colour, the extraordinary instance of interior freedom.
therefore repetitive. It is only beyond separation of forms by black lines, the simple Looking at his work one has a feeling of
individuality that one re-discovers freshness and and monumental force, I found all these things happiness, on account of this.
novelty. fascinating. With many artists art is often simplified and
In 1950 I was using le point and I was making Later I got to know the work of Mondrian clear in appearance, but underneath there is
a series of rows on a single colour ground and I knew Auguste Herbin personally. confusion. By confusion I mean a mixture of
(generally midnight blue or white). RV: Do your Rumanian origins explain certain individuality and the Universal which is the
In the more lyrical period you mention (clearly aspects of your art? In particular, has the art of very stuff of that individuality. In other words,
influenced by certain preoccupations valid at Brancusi served as an example in the light of every time individuality shows itself there is
that time) I was using basically the same which you have been able to discover your own confusion, because the Universal is beyond
points and the same composition. personality? time, and individuality is within time. There lies
the confusion. For me the only confusion.
Clarity is not a question of technique or
expression, but of conception. When a work is
not confused, it irradiates more light than it
absorbs, because there is no longer any
individuality. La Porte du Baiser and La Table
du Silence give off light and make one happy.
RV: What of your friendship with Yves Klein?
HD: Yves Klein lived in life and out of life. The
interesting point was the latter, the abstract.
Here, perhaps despite himself, he fully
expressed himself, he turned towards the
absolute. This is why his art is 'spiritual'.
RV: You also knew Fontana.
HD: Fontana was one of my first buyers, in
1956. I think his work extraordinary from 1963
onwards. Fontana had practically none of that
individuality which detracts from essentials.
RV: Have you ever belonged to any group or art
movement?
HD: Yes, during the period 47/52. I think
that our group then (which included Ellsworth
Kelly, Youngerman, Maussion, Kostas, Enard
and Ionesco) did some enormously interesting
things. It would be marvellous one day to show
them together because there was exceptional
originality and strength there. At the same time
it was group work — we were all using the same
methods. I remember an exhibition at the
Nouvelles Réalités — Soto took part — which was
a really outstanding occasion. Subsequently we
split up and everyone went his own way.

Le grand parallélépipède étoilé 1971
Polyurethane, polyester and wood,
220 X 125 X 405 cm
242